Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Tuesday expressed its concern over the price rise, adulteration and black marketing of edible mustard oil.
Replying to the debate on the Opposition sponsored adjournment motion, Food and Civil Supply Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain censured the Centre for the skyrocketing of prices of mustard oil and added that the Centre has imposed 5.5 per cent GST, 7.5 per cent agricultural cess and 21 per cent import duty.
The minister expressed helplessness of the state government over the excessive price rise of edible oil and said it is the sole responsibility of the Centre to contain it.
According to the NSS survey, which was done with the projected population, the annual demand of edible oil is 3 lakh ton on average. The state used to import edible oil from Rajasthan and Gujarat to meet the growing requirement. The high demand for edible oil has soared its price up to Rs 150.
Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati aired his displeasure in the State Assembly that the common man is suffering due to skyrocketing price of edible oil which is an essential component of the daily dishes.
Bahinipati said the Centre has waived five per cent GST on edible oil. Besides, the Centre has hiked excise duty on it. As a result, the price of edible oil has reached Rs 150 per litre. Moreover, some unscrupulous traders are adulterating edible oil. Apart from it, the state government should take steps to raise domestic production of edible oil in the state, he added.
The Congress leader urged the state government to exert pressure on the Centre to reduce tax on this essential item which is used widely by the common man.
He alleged that mustard production is reducing by 50 per cent in the state due to poor marketing management.
The BJP Chief Whip Mohan Charan Majhi also aired similar views of Bahinipati saying that the Odisha government should intensify action against adulteration.
