Amid price rise of essential items, WB CM Mamata urges Centre to intervene; slams farm law

On Monday, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking Centre to control hoarding, to increase supply and to bring down prices of essential commodities. According to her, powers of State in this regard had been bulldozed owing to pass of  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. She mentioned that cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oil, onions and potatoes have been removed from list of essential commodities, thus harming interests of farmers and consumers.

Alleging that agrarian laws were enacted without consultation with States, Banerjee ted that amendments were encouraging hoarding and profiteering on essential items such as potato, onion etc. This, she observed, had put common people to a huge discomfort. Recalling that West Bengal had effectively controlled prices in 2014 and 2015, WB CM stated that only Union government w has power to regulate agri-products.

In alternative, she urged Centre to eir restore power of state government to control production, supply, distribution and sale of agricultural commodities or allow WB to enact appropriate legislation to ensure same. In letter, Banerjee stressed that state government cant be a silent spectator to ongoing sufferings of people. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC had strongly opposed farm bills in Parliament.

Read: Opposition Parties Creating Fear Among Farmers Over New Farm Laws: Jitendra Singh

Read: Cabinet Approves Reforms In Essential Commodities Act; Farmers Free From APMC Constraints

Read full letter here:

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020

On June 5, President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated  Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020,  Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 and  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. After bills to replace se ordinances were cleared by both Houses of Parliament in Monsoon Session of Parliament, y were signed into law by President on September 27.  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise, and natural calamity of a grave nature. According to Centre, Essential Commodities Act, 1955 had been amended to ensure that farmers get a good price on many commodities.

Read: U-turn In 10 Days? Harsimrat Kaur Badal's Sept 7 Video Hailing Farm Ordinances Emerges

Read: 'Admit Congress Made A Mistake In 2019': Nadda Slams Punjab CM's Opposition To Farm Laws