From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 2: Good news for domestic consumers. Karnataka Government is confident that the sky-rocketing prices of pulses, especially tur dal, will come down soon.

Karnataka’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who held a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners of all districts in the State as well as discussions with the officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, said the prices would definitely come down in the next few days," as huge quantities of the seized pulses will be released into the open market.

With continuing crack-down on hoarding and seizure of hoarded pulses, the situation is definitely set for a big improvement in the next few days, he said.

The minister said the seized pulses will be released into the open market across the State by November 9, which should further ease the situation.

He said the Food and Civil Supplies department officials have so far seized about 2.35 lac quintals or 23,500 tons of pulses of which Tur Dal alone constituted 30,000 quintals, hoarded illegally, during the raids conducted on godowns of the traders.

"We have made arrangements in association with Cooperation department for e-trading of the seized pulses before November 6 and the traded pulses should be released to open market before November 9," he said.

The seized pulses includes Tur Dal, Urad Dal, Green Gram and other pulses Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Rao, who held a video conference with Deputy Commissioners of all the districts instructed them to continue the raids on illegal hoarders and ensure that the seized pulses are auctioned through e-auction before November 6.

The minister claimed that already the strict action is showing results with a price reduction of about Rs40 per kg on Tur Dal.

He expressed the confidence that the price come down further once the seized stock enters the market.

The State Government has also imposed a condition for the traders to sell the pulses that they purchase through this e-trading to release for open market sale within 3 days and within the state of Karnataka.

They would not be allowed to transport this stock outside Karnataka, Rao said and assured the people that the State Government would take all steps to check hoarding and black-marketing.