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03.08.2010
Natural Gas said that in a day they would have to spend only one rupee. Those
who depend on Rs. 20 per day have to spend one rupee daily. How will the poorer
sections of the people survive? The number of starvation deaths is more in our
country.
18.00 hrs.
India ranks at 66 th position among 88 countries where starvation deaths are more.
The position of India is such that it is behind even to Sudan, Cameroon and
Nigeria.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Please make your suggestions.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA: We have been demanding that this speculative
trade which is creating havoc in our country should be banned. The Standing
Committee on Food and Public Distribution System unanimously recommended
and we, the entire Opposition demanded it, but the Government is refusing to ban
speculation in commodities. You will be surprised to know about the value of
trade this year from 1 st of April 2010 to 30 th June, 2010. If we compare this with
that of the last year of the same period, this year from 1 st April to 30 th June, the
total value of trade was Rs.24,54,987.26 crore and in the same period last year, it
was Rs.15,64,114.96 crore. Such is the volume of trade and the farmers are not
getting the price. Farmers start to sell at a cheaper price.
Last year, West Bengal produced 95 lakh tones of potatoes. The
Government of West Bengal spent Rs.400 crore on purchase of potatoes so that
the farmers can be saved from distress sale. So, the future trend of this speculation
should be banned because of which price is increasing. The universalisation of
public distribution system should be introduced.
We have the Essential Commodities Act. That is a Central Act. That Act
was diluted in 2002 by two notifications. We have been demanding since the
inception of the UPA-I Government that the Essential Commodities Act should be
amended because of this speculation, hoarding and black marketing. In order to
tackle this problem, there is a need for amending this Essential Commodities Act.
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