People's Democracy

DELEGATION MEETS PM

Measures Suggested By Left Parties To Curb Price Rise

Leaders of the Left parties, Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury [CPI(M)], A B Bardhan, D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward bloc) and Abani Roy (RSP) met the prime minister on April 26, 2008 and submitted a memorandum listing measures that the government should take to curb price rise.

The measures suggested are given below:

v Strengthen the Public Distribution System by universalising it; restore the cut in foodgrain allocations to the states under the PDS; include 15 essential commodities including pulses, edible oil, and sugar in the PDS.

v Put curbs on procurement of foodgrains from farmers by private companies and traders.

v Ban futures trading in 25 agricultural commodities as proposed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.

v Cut customs and excise duties on oil and reduce retail prices of petrol and diesel.

v Take stringent action against hoarding of essential commodities; strengthen the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act to empower state governments to deal with hoarding and black-marketing.

v The present requirement of declaration of stocks of foodgrains of 50,000 tonnes and above held in godowns and warehouses should be lowered to 10,000 tonnes.