Bengal task force teams visit state markets, caution traders against unjustified price hikes

Kolkata: Following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's concern over rising prices of agricultural commodities, state task force teams conducted inspections across various markets on Wednesday, questioning vendors about commodity prices and cautioning traders against unjustified price hikes.

According to an official from the state’s agricultural marketing department, the task force carried out inspections at Maniktala Bazar, Gariahat Bazar, Lake Market, and Kakurganchi VIP Bazar in Kolkata. They also visited markets in districts such as Asansol, Durgapur, Seoraphuli, and Sodpur.

At Kankurgachi, task force leader Rabindranath Koley interacted with wholesalers regarding vegetable and grain prices, emphasising the importance of avoiding hoarding and artificial price rise.

The task force comprises top police officers and bureaucrats including the chief secretary, home secretary, the DGP, ADG (Law and Order) and commissioners of police.

A member of Maniktala Bazar Byabasayee Samity said, "Task force members visited our market in the morning. Prices of agri-commodities in our market are not different from others. They went around, talked to the vendors and left." These actions followed a meeting chaired by Banerjee at the state secretariat, where she set a 10-day deadline for officials to curb commodity prices.

Banerjee on Tuesday took umbrage at soaring prices of agricultural commodities and blamed the central government for "completely failing" to keep control on rates of farm produce.

"It's a fact that prices of essentials have gone beyond the reach of common people. The Centre has completely failed to control the price hike," she had said.

"I am giving you a deadline of 10 days by which prices should be brought down," Banerjee had told officials, traders and other stakeholders present at the meeting.