Maharashtra government to auction seized stocks of tur dal

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday decided to auction tur dal stocks seized from hoarders instead of releasing the stocks back to them on personal bond.

The proposal moved by the food and civil supplies department, received the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's nod on Friday, his office said.

As much as 13,000 tonnes of tur dal has been seized after the prices of dal started skyrocketing, and today's decision would bring the prices down, an official in the CM's office said.

The Government had also taken urgent steps to bring the prices down such as a cap on how much dal can be stocked by the traders and raids on hoarders, he said.

India Pulses and Grain Association had demanded that seized stocks be released on personal bond by the concerned trader.

"Stocks are being released on personal bond only in the case of those traders who have not violated government orders regarding restrictions on storage," the official said.

The government had earlier allowed returning of tur dal stocks to the concerned traders after obtaining indemnity bonds, but the traders' association insisted on only personal bonds, he said.

The government rejected the demand and decided to auction the seized stocks of tur dal as per the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the decision, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said it vindicated the allegations he had made yesterday regarding the return of seized dal to hoarders.

Malik had alleged that the hoarders were selling off such stocks in the market at high prices.