Nashik: It was the Prime Minister's message on Independence Day and it seems to have trickled down. To tackle rising prices, state governments are now going all out to track hoarders and black marketeers.
In an attempt to get more essentials like sugar and Tur Dal out into the market, the Maharashtra government has intensified raids on wholesalers and retailers who are holding more than their trading license allows them to.
Wholesalers are allowed to store upto 5,000 quintals, and retailers just a fraction of that. The state government says it is finding instances where traders are storing much more and if they don't bring out, the government will.
Raids were also conducted on sugar traders in Nasik. These are latest in a series of raids on traders across the state for hoarding commodities beyond their licensed limit.
"We raided three places and seized 10,000 quintals not just of sugar, but tur dal and oil seeds as well," said Bausaheb Dhagade, Zilla.
Over the past month the state government has seized sugar from traders in Nasik -- worth Rs 3 crore, Raigad -- worth Rs 19 crore, the largest being in Kolhapur -- worth Rs 75 crore.
Also, Tur Dal from traders in Latur - worth Rs 21 lakh, Buldhana - wirth Rs 14 crore, Raigad - worth Rs 55 crore has also been seized. Apart from that oil seeds, moong dal and other commodities from places Buldhana and Nanded have been recovered.
"There is definitely a problem of hoarding and I have directed my officials to take whatever steps necessary to control this," Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said.
On the ground, the impact of the raids is certainly absent on commodity pricing. Sugar continues to sell at Rs 35-40 per kg and Tur Dal at Rs 100-110 per kg
What is the point of all these raids if the prices are not coming down? The government has to ensure the pricing is controlled and traders are not allowed to fleece the public.