The Uttarakhand government said Thursday it will make hoarding of essential items by shopkeepers a criminal offence and ensure that there is an adequate supply of food and essentials during the lockdown over Covid-19.
Subodh Uniyal, minister for agriculture in the state said that chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat will soon announce steps to check the hoarding of essential items by shopkeepers.
“We are trying everything possible to check that there is
Ample supply for food grains in the state As a step towards this, the chief minister who also holds the portfolio of food and civil supplies will soon issue an order making hoarding or overpricing by shopkeepers a criminal offence,” said Uniyal.
The Assembly session ended yesterday and Uniyal did not say whether the government will issue an ordinance.
Pointing out challenges in ensuring food supply in the Himalayan state amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Uniyal said that initially when the state announced a lockdown till March 31, trucks with essential food items were being stopped at the Uttar Pradesh border.
“After the janta curfew, trucks carrying essential food supplies entering the state from Udham Singh Nagar district were being stopped by officials at the Uttar Pradesh border. The matter was then raised at the chief secretary level and then orders were given to the concerned district magistrates to coordinate. Trucks are now being allowed to enter the state,” added the minister.
Officials from the department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs said that the state has enough rice for the next three months.
Distributing items like rice, wheat, pulses to 23 lakh ration card holders among other things, the state approximately needs 1,83,000 quintal of wheat and 2,34,000 quintals of rice and around 18,000 quintals of pulses (lentils and split Bengal gram) for one month.
At present, the Uttarakhand government has around 7,70,000 quintals of rice which is sufficient for three months, while there is enough wheat for one month.
A senior official from the department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs who did want to be named, said, “We have enough rice and pulses for the months of April-June. We also have enough wheat for the month of April and order and payment has been done with the Food Corporation of India to procure more wheat for May and June. The wheat will be delivered to the state within one week.”
Chief minister Rawat took stock of the situation from all district magistrates on Thursday and asked them to ensure the availability of essential goods for common people in the lockdown period.
“People should be assured that there is no shortage of any essential items. The common people should be motivated to stay at home and follow social distancing,” Rawat said.
