AP to press for Central Act to curb price rise

Hyderabad, Jul 20: Maintaining that the price situation was 'well under control' in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the state would press for Central legislation to curb hoarding by unscrupulous traders.

Addressing a press conference here, he said according to his information the Centre was not in a position to promulgate Ordinance in this connection now following announcement of the schedule for the Monsoon session of Parliament. ''The piece of legislation is in all likelihood will be in place during the coming session,'' he expressed confidence.

Making it clear that the state government was not for stopping inter-state movement of agricultural commodities as it would deny a remunerative price for farmers upsetting the delicate balance between demand and supply, he opined that display of stocks by traders should be made mandatory to prevent hoarding.

Thanks to well networked Public Distribution System (PDS) in the state, the consumers were getting rice at reasonable rates rice as also redgram used widely in the state.

''There is not much change in the price of edible oil too,'' he pointed out, adding that the Government had decided to release tamrind stocks with the State Girijan cooperative Society to bring down its price in the open market.

Admitting that the prices of greengram and blackgram had gone up, he said the Centre was taking steps to import sufficient quantity.

UNI