On Friday, the Central government said that there has been no shortage of commodity and no increase in prices of the salt which is being sold at Rs 14-15 per kg in retail markets.
Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that this is rubbish. There is no shortage of salt in the country. Salt prices are ruling at Rs 14-15 per kg same at last year’s level. There has not been increase in prices.
He said that unnecessary panic is being spread that salt is being sold at Rs 200 per kg. Those who have sold at Rs 200, the UP government should take action and arrest them.
Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a series of tweets, too said that there was no shortage of edible salt in the market.
Nirmala tweeted that Salt Commissioner & Jt. Secretary Shri Raghavendra monitoring the situation. Asst.Salt Commissioners reporting from the field. No shortage. Monitoring will be on-going.
Today, there is lack of small denomination currency in India which triggered rumours of black marketing of essential commodities like salt as shopkeepers refused to give change when offered with higher denomination notes.
There were reports of panicked customers from the state Uttar Pradesh. The customers were running to to market as rumours flew that salt has gone out of stocks and shopkeepers are selling the salt at a high as Rs 200 per kg.
The Central government has also checked the price situation of salt in other states as well and there has not been any increase in the rate of the essential commodity.
Delhi government also appealed to the people of Delhi not to pay attention towards this type of rumours in the city and assured that there is no scarcity of such essential commodity in the city.
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi – Manish Sisodia said that teams of food supply officers and sub-divisional magistrates are rounding the markets of the city where salt is available in sufficient stock.
