1 Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009 SSS-AKG/11.00/1A ...

142Uncorrected/ Not for publication- 08.12.2009like to enumerate once again the measures that have been taken on thefiscal and administrative side.Sir, as far as the fiscal measures that have been taken areconcerned, import duty has been reduced to zero for rice, sugar, wheat,pulses, edible oil and maize. For refined and hydrogenated vegetableoils, duty is 0.78 per cent. One million tonnes of sugar have beenallowed to be imported by this Government. Sir, regarding theadministrative measures, the Government has banned the export of nonbasmatirice, edible oil, pulses, the Government also imposed short limitorders on paddy, rice, pulses, sugar and edible oils up to 31.11.2010,enhanced minimum support price to maximise production and bannedfuture trading which I have already mentioned.Now, Sir, this is a country where we believe in cooperativefederalism and nobody in this hon. House can deny that out of the twopillars of any food security issue or the main pillar of any food securityissue, one has to be the strengthening of the public distribution systemand the other has to be taking very strict action against blackmarketeersand hoarders. Sir, as far as taking strict action against blackmarketeersand hoarders is concerned, there is the Prevention of BlackMarketing Act, the Essential Commodities Act and there are orders thathave come under the Act. Sir, it is unfortunate that in the NDA rule, thehon. Member, who spoke before me, was referring to so proudly, theEssential Commodities Act was diluted. It was during their time.(Interruptions)