Government think tank NITI Aayog’s proposal to decontrol foodstuffs, including edible oils, oilseeds, fertilisers and seeds of agricultural products from the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 has irked several Ministries, including Agriculture, Petroleum, and Chemicals and Fertilisers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to discuss the issue at the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday.
The ECA gives consumers protection against irrational spikes in prices of essential commodities. The Government invokes the Act to ensure adequate supplies by cracking down on hoarders and black-marketeers of such commodities.
According to officials, if control is removed, there would be no control or check over sale of spurious seeds, drugs, petroleum products and fertilisers or hoardings in the case of sudden price rise. On the other hand, NITI Aayog has sought classifications of controlled commodities and de-controlled commodities. The Aayog said that control can be placed only in case of war, for safe operation of defence forces, extraordinary instances related national security or in times of national disaster or inordinate price rises or inordinate supply deficiencies.
