Orissa to re-introduce license system for essentials

Bhubaneswar, Apr 28 (UNI) In a bid to control the prices of essentials, the Orissa government today decided to re-introduce the license system in the state.

Presiding over a high level meeting, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the Civil Supply department to monitor the prices of essentials at regular interval at the district level.

The District Collector had been asked to keep a strict vigil on the prices of all essentials.

The meeting decided to re-introduce the license system as per the Essential Services Act for rice, wheat, dal and edible oil besides the pulses, to bring the prices of these commodities under control.

The government, sources said, would also decide the stock of all these essentials for the businessmen.

The Chief Minister also urged the Centre to provide one kg edible oil to the consumers at a subsidised rate and enhance the wheat quota besides supply of two kg of dal through the ration card at a concession rate.

The meeting expressed concern over the ''apathetic'' attitude of the Centre in supplying rice to the consumers in Orissa at a subsidised rate. Mr Patnaik had earlier also written a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar demanding allotment of 65,000 MT rice to the state.

However, the Centre had so far not responded to the request of the Chief Minister. It was resolved in the meeting that the state government would again draw the attention of the Centre.

The government also decided to launch a special drive across the state from may to strengthen the Public Distribution System.

State Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs Minister Manmohan Samal and other senior officials attended the meeting.

UNI DP SJC SLD AS2118