Govt sets up cell to monitor prices

Guntur, Mar 3 (UNI) Concerned about the price rise of essential commodities, the Andhra Pradesh government has set up a cell in Hyderabad to monitor the prices of 14 commodities, including rice cooking gas, pulses, onions, cooking oils, petrol and diesel.

Andhra Pradesh civil supplies commissioner C N Rao today interacted with the civil supplies officials, rice millers and doll millers of Guntur, Prakasham, Nellore districts here.

He asked them to ensure that the 14 commodities were sold in retail outlets in farmers' markets in the state at reasonable prices.

He said if the prices keep going up, market intervention measures must be initiated by dumping the scarce commodities.

Mr Rao advised millers to sell through retail outlets common varieties of rice at below market prices and also directed petrol bunks to prominently display the price of petrol and diesel.

He said 1.7 crore white ration card holders in the state were being provided with rice, sugar and kerosene at a discount.

UNI