After Onion, Red Gram Brings Tears On Prices In Telangana

By SHEENA SHAFIA | INNLIVE

It's not just onion prices that are skyrocketing. Prices of other essential commodities such as red gram, green gram, Bengal gram and even chillies are also on the rise in the state.

According to official estimates, the range of price rise of various commodities is between 6% and 114% (state average) compared to last year's prices at the same time. Prices of commodities also increased in the last one month, especially of red gram and onions. For instance, red gram, which can give onions a tear or two, saw its price skyrocketing by 84% compared to last year same period. The price of red gram (grade II) is Rs 129 per kg now, which was just Rs 70 in 2014.

Sources said rates of some commodities are even higher in Hyderabad, when compared to other parts of the state. In the joint capital, traders charge more for transportation and other expenses. For example, the average price of green gram in the state is Rs 111 per kg, while it is Rs 118 a kg in Hyd erabad -registering a 20% increase over September 2014 prices.

Though there exists a mechanism to monitor and control the prices of essential commodities, it has remained a mute bystander over the past few months.With no concrete efforts to book traders who have been hoarding essential commodities, government officials are hiding behind the alibi of `national trend' and are holding `low productivity' responsible for the rise in prices.

Consumers allege that the state government has no control over the traders -who are stocking pulses and other commodities resulting in artificial spike in their prices.

“Consumers have had to shell out 20% to 30% more in the last one month on certain commodities like red gram. There is not a single instance in the state where the government has taken stringent action against the traders,“ S Chandrasekhar, an anticorruption activist said. On paper though, the state boasts of a price monitoring committee headed by no less an official than the chief secretary , with the civil supplies commissioner as exofficio member convener, to initiate price control measures when needed. Though the committee meets as the need arises, it could do little to control the rises. Of late, the committee was focused on controlling the prices of onions and red gram.

Civil Supplies department commissioner Dr Rajat Kumar said it was normal for rates of various commodities to rise between July and December, considered to be lean season.He added that the price monitoring committee had initiated various steps to mitigate the situation. “The state government has started supplying onions and red gram at subsidised rates through the Rythu Bazars. We have opened 35 centres to sell dal at subsidised rates through the Dal Mills Association. In the long term, we are trying to increase the cultivation of onion and red gram by supplying seeds to encourage farmers,“ Kumar said.