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There is no significant increase in the prices of essential commodities since May, 2004, barring increase in prices of sugar.
Prices of essential commodities are being monitored and reviewed by the High Powered Price Monitoring Board (HPPMB) regularly. The rise in sugar prices was due to estimated fall in production coupled with reduced stock. To arrest the rising trend in sugar prices, measures taken include permitting import of raw sugar under advance licensing scheme for domestic processing, releasing of higher free sale quota regularly on quarterly basis, additional releases during festival seasons, making mandatory of selling non-levy sugar quota by the mills on monthly basis failing which the unsold quantity of non-levy sugar for the month being automatically be converted into levy sugar etc. As a result, the prices of sugar have now stabilized.
This information was given in Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Taslimuddin in a written reply to a question of Shri Kalraj Mishra.
SBK:CP:rajya4.3
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