Union government extends order regarding de-hoarding of sugar

The Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for extending the validity of the existing Central Order in respect of sugar for a further period of six months from Oct 29, 2016 to Apr 28, 2017.

The main objective of the decision is to enable the state governments to issue control order with the prior concurrence of the central government, for fixing stock limits/licensing requirements in respect of sugar, whenever need is felt by them.

This is expected to help in the efforts being taken to improve the availability of these commodities to general public at reasonable rates, and control the tendencies of hoarding and profiteering.

The Cabinet in its meeting held on April 27 this year decided to enable the states to regulate supply, distribution, sale, production, stock, storage, purchase and movement etc. in respect of sugar for a period up to six months up to Oct 28.

Accordingly, the Department of Consumer Affairs issued the Removal of (Licensing requirements, Stock limits and Movement Restrictions) on specified Foodstuffs Amendment Order, 2016 for enabling the state government to impose stock limits on sugar Oct 28 this year.

Subsequently, the said Order was merged with all the existing Orders in respect of essential commodities and a consolidated Order dated Sep 29 was issued.

It has been noticed that the average retail price of sugar has escalated in the recent past, in spite of adequate availability of sugar stock with the mills.

The price rise appears artificial as being mainly due to hoarding of sugar by traders/sugar dealers etc.

Such situations in the past were dealt with exercising the powers to regulate stock holding limits etc. for sugar.