CM to keep watchful eye on price of essential goods

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will hold a meeting of the task force to ensure that prices of essential commodities do not go up in the state.

The meeting is scheduled to be held on June 6 at Nabanna, the state Secretariat and all the concerned ministers and officials have been asked to be present.

It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister has already expressed her concern apprehending a hike in prices of essential goods after the arbitrary increase in the fuel prices. She had earlier tweeted: "We are very concerned about the rising prices of petrol and diesel. This will certainly affect prices all around. Common people, farmers and many will suffer."

The Chief Minister had also attacked the Centre for its "indifferent" attitude towards the issue and urged all anti-BJP political parties to go for a statewide agitation. There were also protest rallies across the state against the abnormal hike in prices of petrol and diesel.

The state government had always taken steps to check the rampant increase in the prices of essential goods in the past and there is also a task force that maintains a strict vigil to oversee that the commoners are not harassed.

Now, the state government is going to hold the meeting in which all the aspects in this connection will be discussed in detail.

A few days ago there was a hike in potato prices. It was sold at around Rs 20 per kg at various markets in the city. The state Agriculture Marketing department took necessary and immediate measures after identifying that the price of the potato had shot up just for a particular section of middlemen.

With the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel, the cost of transportation of goods has also gone up. It is leaving an effect on prices of vegetables, rice and other essential commodities.

In such a situation, the state government is chalking out a plan to take necessary steps to give respite to the common people as much as possible. There would also be discussions in the meeting to ensure that prices of essential goods do not go up ahead of the forthcoming festivals in the state.