Raids net 36,000 tonnes of pulses

New Delhi: Forced into action by the Centre, 10 state governments seized nearly 36,000 tonnes of pulses in an intensive crackdown on hoarders comprising large traders, millers and large department stores.

The government plans to offload the seized pulses into the markets which is expected to cool down the rising prices that have touched as high as Rs 210 per kg.

The seizures were made in 3,290 raids carried during the last three days, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after a meeting of the inter-ministerial group monitoring the pulses situation.

Jaitley blamed the states for not doing enough to crack down on hoarders and black marketeers. He said the raids



would continue for the next two-three days.

Jaitley warned of penal action against the hoarders even as he expected prices to cool at retail level in the next two-three days after quantity seized in raids as well as those imported are released in the market.

According to a statement by the Consumer Affairs Ministry, maximum quantity of 23,340 tonnes was seized in Maharashtra, followed by 4,525.19 tonnes in Chhattisgarh, 2,546 tonnes in Telangana, 2,295 tonnes in Madhya Pradesh, 1,168 tonnes in Haryana, 859.8 tonnes in Andhra Pradesh, 479.6 tonnes in Karnataka, 68.47 tonnes in Rajasthan, 4.32 tonnes in Tamil Nadu and 2.44 tonnes in Himachal Pradesh.