20 NATIONAL

THE HINDU I NOIDA/DELHI, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013

CoS meeting to wipe onion tears

Gargi Parsai
NEW DELHI: Priced between Rs.

Process of Telangana formation will be taken forward

Gargi Parsai
NEW DELHI: Setting at rest

SOARING PRICES

60 and Rs. 80 per kilogram in several parts of the country, onions are bringing tears to housewives. Concerned at the problem, the Committee of Secretaries is meeting here on Wednesday to take steps including a crack down on hoarders to ease the situation. Onion produce in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka was damaged due to excessive rain, which also delayed their arrivals. Mandi dispatches from the onion-producing districts of Lasalgaon and Pimalgaon in Nasik, Maharashtra have been lower by 40 and 27 per cent between April and July this year on account of the inclement weather. The officials, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, will also look at measures to enhance availability of onions, possibly including a nod for duty free imports.

in the production of the bulb this year compared to last year, there is no immediate move to ban exports or set an export price to dissuade traders. But there is a suspicion that onions are being hoarded by traders and even big farmers for speculation. In 2012-13, India exported 18.23 lakh tonnes of onions compared to 15.53 lakh tonnes during 2011-12. Normally, onion prices tend to rise between September and November as the stored onion stocks get depleted by August, September. Once the rabi stocks arrive the situation normalises.

Declining market arrivals

Compared to last year, this year market arrivals declined by up to 40 per cent during June and July due to creation of articial scarcity, sources in the Food Ministry sources said. For instance, the modal price of the commodity in Lasalgaon on August 1 was Rs. 2401 per quintal. It shot up to Rs. 4300 per quintal on August 12. The country has a stock of about 9 lakh tonnes of onions, which should help it tide over the situation till the next kharif crop arrives in the beginning of October. However, if prices continue to rise, we will have to enhance availability, Mr. Thomas told The Hindu. In 2011, the Centre had sold subsidised onions through its Nafed outlets.

Thomas, Pawar meet

On Tuesday, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs K.V. Thomas spoke to Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on the issue. The government is closely monitoring the situation before deciding on allowing duty free imports on government account. Although there is a shortfall of about 8.56 lakh tonnes

speculation about a rethink on the formation of Telangana, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday told Rajya Sabha that the government will take on board all views, including concerns on status of Hyderabad, before taking a decision on how to take forward the process. He, however, declined to give a timeline saying the process will be taken forward in accordance with the Constitution and past practices. The Minister, standing in for an indisposed Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, was responding to clarications sought by members on a statement made by him on the subject earlier. He repeated the statement when Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said he was as confused at the end of the discussion as he was in the beginning as to whether there was going to be Telangana State or not. The House was divided on the issue with parties such as the BJP, CPI, BSP, JD (U) supporting the formation of Telangana and the SP, CPI-M, AIADMK and some others opposing it. Rejecting the opposition allegation that the decision was taken in haste and the government was playing a dangerous game, Mr. Chidambaram said, Every political party's view will be kept in mind before the government takes a decision on how to take forward the process of the formation of the State of Telangana formation.

GTA to be repealed soon, says GJM

people in the hills: Do we want the chief executive KOLKATA: Even as the Darjeel- from the State or someone ing hills wore a deserted from our own community? look on the rst day of the The issue of the GTA and janata curfew called by the its chief executive is only for Gorkha Janmukti Morcha a limited period and our (GJM) in support of its nal goal is Gorkhaland, Mr. Gorkhaland demand on Gurung, who had resigned as Tuesday, the party leader- the chief executive of GTA ship announced that the on July 30, said, adding that Gorkhaland Territorial Ad- the agitation for their ministration ( GTA) would Statehood demand would be repealed soon. continue from August 19. In an all-party meeting Though the GJM leaderyesterday we decided that ship had called for a threethe GTA should be repealed day relaxation of the indesoon. It was a unanimous nite strike from August 16 decision taken by all par- after a day of it being lifted ties, GJM president Bimal on Independence Day, its Gurung posted on a social decision on the GTA would networking site. have a bearing on the future Referring to the State gov- course of the movement. ernments letter asking the The party leadership along GTA sabha members to with other regional groupchoose a chief executive of ing and representatives of the regional autonomous the Congress and the BJP council within three days who endorsed the GJMs call (from August 10) or else it for a separate State would be would appoint its own per- meeting again on August 16 son to the post, he asked the to decide on the matter. Shiv Sahay Singh

CM YK

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