Pawar introduces Essential Commodities Bill

New Delhi, Aug 21: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today introduced in the Rajya Sabha the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2005 seeking to amend the provisions allowing for insertion and deletion of items from the list of essential items.

Moving the Bill, Mr Pawar informed the members that the demand was first raised at the May 21, 2001 meeting of Chief Ministers of several states where the need for an amendment was felt.

Pointing out 11 commodities were deleted from the list of essential commodities in 2002 and three commodities in 2004, the Minister said that certain commodities could not be deleted through a notification even though the Government considered it necessary due to improved demand and supply position.

He said the proposed amendment sought to delete, from the ambit of the Bill, some items including cattle fodder, coal, component and auto parts, iron and steel, paper among others.

In its stead, it was proposed to insert a new section 2 (a), providing that the essential commodities listed in the proposed Schedule, namely, drugs, fertilisers, foodstuffs, including edible oilseeds and oil, hank yarn, petroleum and petroleum products, raw jute and jute textiles, seeds of food crops and seeds of fruits and vegetables, seeds of cattle fodder and jute seeds.

''Why should we continue with steel and auto parts as essential items when these are not required?'' Mr Pawar asked.

BJP's Ramdas Agarwal said the Bill should be implemented in the proper spirit so as to benefit consumers but without hurting the small traders.

Shantaram Laxman Naik (Congress) demanded proper coordination between the interest of the traders and the consumers.

UNI