Guwahati, July 22: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has warned that action will be taken against traders who resort to hoarding.
The chief minister made this clear to a number of trade and business organisations in a meeting held at his conference room in the Assembly here today.
He admitted that the rise in prices of essential commodities had hit the common man hard. The people must be able to procure essential items at reasonable prices and towards this end, trade and business organisations must lend a helping hand by keeping a tight leash on prices, he said.
Sonowal asked business organisations and wholesale dealers about the stock and availability of essential commodities and wholesale and retail prices. He said the wholesale dealers must strictly conform to the strictures of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department.
"Wholesale dealers have equal responsibility towards the people as that of the government. By maintaining a close rapport with the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department, the businessmen have to keep the prices under check," he added.
He asked the department and the wholesale dealers to ensure that there was no scarcity of essential commodities in view of the flood situation in the state. Minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Rihon Daimari made it clear that businessmen would have to keep prices under check in tune with the guidelines of the department.
Daimari apprised Sonowal of the slew of initiatives taken by his department to control prices of essential commodities by holding discussions with trade and business organisations.
The meeting was attended, among others, by representatives of Chambers of Commerce, fruits and vegetables, potato and onion and egg wholesale dealers.