TN CM writes to PM

Chennai, Mar 14 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take necessary steps to suspend online trading in all essential commodities as an interim measure to control price rise.

In a letter to Dr Singh, a copy of which was made available to the media here, he said introduction of online trading had caused much speculation and fuelled price rise of essential commodities.

The Centre's decision to suspend online trading in toor dhal and urad dhal and the constitution of a committee to study the effects of online trading on prices seemed to reflect this point of view, he said.

Referring to his earlier letter to the Prime Minister in which he had indicated the steps being taken by the state Government to control the increase in prices of essential commodities, Mr Karunanidhi requested Dr Singh to issue necessary directions to Forward Markets Commission in this regard.

UNI