GANGTOK, August 20: Urging the people to bear with the increase in prices of consumer goods as an inevitable fact of life, the State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has finally come clean on the increasing price rise in the State and its affect on the common man.
The Department has requested all the consumers to “appreciate” that increase in the prices of essential commodities in the State were results of overall price increases at the manufacturing/wholesale markets and “not the result of the Department not controlling the prices in the State.”
The Department today issued an official statement clarifying its role of regularly monitoring the price fluctuations in Siliguri market in respect of essential commodities like Pulses, Mustard oil, Dalda and open market sugar and also stating the measures taken to prevent overcharging by retail traders.
The Department said it has been fixing the retail sale price of essential commodities by incorporating the transportation cost, leviable taxes and a reasonable margin of profit for the retailers, adding “revisions of prices are made on a weekly basis depending on the price fluctuations in whole sale market of Siliguri.”
While stating that there has been no increase on the price of PDS commodities, the Department said that all the District Collectors have been authorized to fix the retail sale price of commodities within their respective Districts with the assistance of District Civil Supplies Officers on the same formula adopted by the Department for last several years.
At the same time, all the consumers are appealed to check the rate boards in the shops while purchasing essential commodities and enquire about the rates/prices fixed by the Department wherever applicable and ensure that he/she is not overcharged. “In case of any trader/individual found charging the rates/prices more than department’s fixation, such cases must be reported to the department or to Police for appropriate legal action without any hesitation. It must also be noted by each consumer that all the packaged commodities must have its retail sale price and expiry dates printed on it and under no circumstances, no one can charge the rates more than the printed price irrespective of where the product is sold,” the department cautions.
The Department further said that it gives “top priority to consumer’s protection” and as such, all consumers should enforce their consumer right through proper forum and “join hands with the Department to avoid exploitation by unscrupulous traders individuals.”
The Department has requested all the consumers to “appreciate” that increase in the prices of essential commodities in the State were results of overall price increases at the manufacturing/wholesale markets and “not the result of the Department not controlling the prices in the State.”
The Department today issued an official statement clarifying its role of regularly monitoring the price fluctuations in Siliguri market in respect of essential commodities like Pulses, Mustard oil, Dalda and open market sugar and also stating the measures taken to prevent overcharging by retail traders.
The Department said it has been fixing the retail sale price of essential commodities by incorporating the transportation cost, leviable taxes and a reasonable margin of profit for the retailers, adding “revisions of prices are made on a weekly basis depending on the price fluctuations in whole sale market of Siliguri.”
While stating that there has been no increase on the price of PDS commodities, the Department said that all the District Collectors have been authorized to fix the retail sale price of commodities within their respective Districts with the assistance of District Civil Supplies Officers on the same formula adopted by the Department for last several years.
At the same time, all the consumers are appealed to check the rate boards in the shops while purchasing essential commodities and enquire about the rates/prices fixed by the Department wherever applicable and ensure that he/she is not overcharged. “In case of any trader/individual found charging the rates/prices more than department’s fixation, such cases must be reported to the department or to Police for appropriate legal action without any hesitation. It must also be noted by each consumer that all the packaged commodities must have its retail sale price and expiry dates printed on it and under no circumstances, no one can charge the rates more than the printed price irrespective of where the product is sold,” the department cautions.
The Department further said that it gives “top priority to consumer’s protection” and as such, all consumers should enforce their consumer right through proper forum and “join hands with the Department to avoid exploitation by unscrupulous traders individuals.”
