Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, March 31: The Odisha government today decided to procure pulses through Delhi-based National e-marketing Limited in view of the traders' threat to go on strike from tomorrow.

The prices of essential commodities started rising after the traders had stopped booking of these essential items from outside Odisha.

Retail prices of arhar dal has gone up from Rs 140 to Rs 160 per kg. Other dals, too, have recorded increase between Rs 20 and Rs 25. Sugar is being sold at Rs 40 a kilogram, an increase of Rs 4.

Contingency measures to tackle the situation were discussed at a meeting today.

Yesterday, talks with the traders failed after the Odisha government had expressed its unwillingness to waive value added tax (VAT) on the essential commodities as the Assembly budget session is going on.

The government is now levying 5 per cent VAT on dal, wheat, wheat products and sugar. "We will consider the demand after the budget session in May," said food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma, while appealing to the traders not to go on strike.

Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangh secretary Sudhakar Panda, however, maintained that the government forced them to go on strike from tomorrow.

Today, the Odisha government formed a panel, headed by the food supplies and consumer welfare secretary, to monitor the situation and take measures. However, Das Burma dodged repeated media query whether the Essential Supply Maintenance Act would be invoked against the traders.

The Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes over the strike with the Opposition Congress members urging the Speaker to ask the government to resume talks with the traders. Speaker Niranjan Pujari had to adjourn the proceedings several times in view of the noisy scenes.

In another development, the traders at Malgodown, the largest wholesale market for essential commodities in Odisha, have joined the strike called by the mahasangh - which will have a great impact on the supply of essential commodities as there are around 800 traders, including 400 wholesales, there.

At present, Odisha consumes about 67,000 metric tonnes (MT) of pulses and 12,000MT of wheat products every month and bulk of the commodities is procured from other states.

"There is no reason for panic for the consumers as there is adequate stock at Malgodown that can meet the requirement for over a week," said Cuttack district civil supplies officer Amar Mohapatra.

"Despite being a consumer state, the Odisha government has imposed 5 per cent VAT while no such tax has been imposed by over 26 states in the country," said Cuttack Chamber of Commerce joint secretary Prafulla Chhatoi.