Indian Express: Mumbai: Wednesday,
April 12, 2017.
The Centre
has ruled that the state’s much-touted draft Bill on regulation of prices of pulses
made no economic sense and goes against the basic principles of a free market
economy. Last April, the Devendra Fadnavis government, which had come under
criticism over spiralling prices of pulses, had publicised the fact that it was
the country’s first state to adopt a price-control mechanism for pulses when it
cleared the draft Bill. But the Presidential assent for the Bill hasn’t come a
year later. Documents obtained by the Congress under the Right to Information
(RTI) Act now indicate that the Bill may stay in cold storage. The RTI
documents, which were released on Tuesday, reveal that the Union agriculture
ministry’s Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has
raised strong objections to the proposed Bill.
The
department has commented, “In a free market economy, prices of any commodity,
including pulses, are determined by the market forces of supply and demand. The
market prices provide a signal both to the producers (farmers) and consumers
regarding the demand and supply situation. Accordingly, both the producers and
the consumers take decisions on consumption and production of a particular
commodity. The proposed Bill goes against the basic principles of the free
market economy. Any artificial control on prices etc of pulses may create
further distortion and parallel economy.”
While the
state’s plan was to cap retail and wholesale sale prices for tur dal, black
gram, green gram, lentils, beans, etc, across the state taking into account the
availability of pulses, their demand and supply, the central government has
opposed the state’s direct intervention.
“In case the
Government of Maharashtra wants to protect the interest of consumers, it can
provide pulses to the vulnerable sections at a subsidised price through the
Public Distribution System (PDS). This will limit the distortionary impact on
market prices and the market price signal for farmers will not be adversely
impacted. Farmers will continue to have the relevant market signal to make
investments in increasing production of pulses,” the Centre has observed, while
remarking that it does not support the Bill.
Congress
leader Sachin Sawant, who had filed an RTI application in this regard, alleged
on Tuesday the state government had tried to scuttle the information to avoid
“public embarrassment”. He said, “I had filed an RTI in October. But was denied
information twice. Official information was shared only after RTI commissioner
Ratnakar Gaikwad stepped in and issued directives in this regard.”
“Even when
the Bill was passed, the Congress had reasoned that it did not make economic sense.
The Centre has only reiterated our demand that the state government must
procure pulses and distribute them under the PDS,” he said.
Cong
attacks Sena, BJP on NDA meet
Mumbai: The
Congress on Tuesday took a dig at both the Shiv Sena and BJP over Uddhav
Thackeray’s decision to attend the NDA meet in New Delhi on Monday. “It is not
that long ago that Shiv Sena leaders were saying that those wanting to discuss
Presidential polls should come to Matoshree. It is amusing to now see Thackeray
himself travel to Delhi for the meeting and even endorse Narendra Modi’s
candidature for the PM’s race for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll,” said Congress
leader Sachin Sawant. He added, “In the build-up to the BMC polls, BJP MP Kirit
Somaiya had claimed to have evidence against Thackeray. One wonders whether
these documents have been used for buying peace with the Sena.”
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