By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Monday said that Meghalaya does not produce adequately most of the essential commodities which is one of the factors that influence the prices of essential commodities in the State.
While expressing concern over the price rise in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said that bulk of the food grains are brought from outside the State through road transport and the high cost of transportation adds to the prices of commodities.
“The State does not have a railway head and depends on road transport for bringing goods including essential commodities,” he said while adding that cost of transportation by road is much higher.
According to Sangma, the agriculture production in the country has not grown commensurate to the rise in demand by increase in real incomes in rural areas. To tackle the situation, the first priority of the Government has been to ensure timely supply of essential commodities under TPDS.
He also informed that the Government is maintaining liaison with various chambers of commerce in the State to ensure that adequate stock of essential commodities while adding that directions have been issued to DCs and SDOs to conduct inspections and take stringent action against those involve in diversion of TPDS foodgrains or in hoarding to create a situation of artificial scarcity. “The DCs and SDOs are ensuring timely lifting of PDS commodities from FCI to make these available to the consumers within the month of allocation,” he said.