Rates of essential items released: Zero tolerance against any act of over-charging, black marketing, hoarding by traders

Wholesalers, retailers & fish vendors asked to display rate of essential commodities

Stringent legal action to be initiated against violators

Port Blair, Apr 21: The Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has been working relentlessly to ensure the availability of Essential Commodities at reasonable rate without any scope for malpractice by any retailer/wholesaler/vendor during the Lockdown declared by the Government of India to prevent the outburst of the COVID -19.

In pursuance of the directions issued by the Govt. of India and under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has decided to fix the upper limit of prices of Essential Goods with a view to safeguard the interest of the consumers in the UT of A&N Islands. Accordingly, the maximum wholesale/retail rates fixed are as under:

RATE OF AGRO-HORTICULTURE PRODUCTS			RATE OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES
Sl. No	Vegetable	Retail Rate per KG	Sl. No	Item	Brand & variety	Retail Price (In Rs.)	Wholesale Price (in Rs)
1	Onion	40	1	Rice	Andhra Ponni	41	37
2	Potato	40			Ponni Raw	66	60
3	Tomato	60			Ponni Boiled	57	52
4	Cabbage	80			Raw Rice	40	35
5	Green Chilly	200	2	Wheat	1 Kg	42	38
6	Pumpkin	60	3	Atta	Ashirwad	57	52
7	Beet root	80			Local	55	48
8	Carrot	100	4	Gram Dhal		79	72
9	Bottle gourd	80	5	Tur Dhal	Chennai	110	100
10	Bringal	80			Special Quality	122	115
11	Ladies Finger	80	6	Moong Dhal	Quality 1	147	134
12	Cauliflower	120			Quality 2	120	113
13	Beans	120	7	Urad Dhal	Quality 1	138	128
14	Khera	60			Quality 2	130	120
15	Ginger	280	8	Masur Dhal	Quality 1	89	81
16	Garlic	280	9	Sugar	1Kg	53	48
17	Lobiya	80	10	Gur/Jaggery	1Kg	80	73
18	Kundru	80	11	White Mutter	1Kg	78	73
19	Drumstick	120
20	Turai	80
21	Pottal	90
22	Karela	100
23	Chichinda	70
24	Leafy Vegetable	40

Similarly, Fisheries Department has also fixed the maximum selling price for various types of fishes in the UT for bringing uniformity in selling prices, which was published in The Daily Telegrams on 13.04.2020.

All the wholesalers, retailers & fish vendors have been directed to display the rates of Essential Commodities in their shops/premises in a conspicuous manner for the information of the general public and shall not sell any of the Essential Commodities beyond the rates fixed by the Administration. A vigorous Enforcement Drive is being carried out by this Department in the open market to achieve zero tolerance against any act of over-charging, black marketing, hoarding, etc. If any wholesaler/retailer/vendor is found indulging in any kind of malpractice then stringent legal action without any excuse shall be initiated against them as per the various provisions under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 as well as the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. It is also to bring to the notice of all concerned that the offences under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 are Criminal Offences and shall result in imprisonment of 7 years or fine or both. Offenders shall also be detained under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.

All the Consumers have been advised to inform any malpractice by any person/shop/establishment directly to the Director (CS&CA) via text message only on mobile number 9434266828. The same can also be brought to the notice of the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in writing or over Toll Free No. 18003453197 or Telephone No. 03192-234062.