Guwahati: Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota on Thursday warned that any hoarding, black marketing or speculative trading in essential commodities would attract strict legal action, even as he said there had been “no significant variation in prices” during March to May. Speaking at a review meeting with all district commissioners on the state’s price monitoring framework and market stabilisation measures, Kota said the current price stability must not be used to justify abnormal hikes by traders or retailers.
Kota directed district commissioners to maintain heightened vigilance and step up enforcement across their districts. “Any attempt to exploit the situation through hoarding, black marketing, speculative trading, or other unfair trade practices would invite stringent action under relevant legal and regulatory provisions,” he said, urging immediate operationalisation and strengthening of district-level task forces on price monitoring.
He ordered regular coordination meetings with wholesalers, retailers, chambers of commerce, transporters and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated field-level enforcement and real-time monitoring. The review examined district-wise trends in retail and wholesale prices, stock positions, supply-chain vulnerabilities, enforcement preparedness and institutional coordination needed to maintain market discipline and protect consumers.
The government issued several standard operating measures for immediate compliance: district-level task force meetings on price monitoring with prompt sharing of minutes; similar monitoring at co-district, circle and block levels; intensified field checks of stocks and prices; and mobilisation of enforcement squads comprising officers from all relevant line departments for coordinated inspection drives. The display of wholesale and retail prices at shops and market premises has been made mandatory to boost consumer transparency.
The meeting followed a direction from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on May 18 to take strict action against traders found indulging in abnormal price hikes, including cancellation of trade licences in serious cases. Kota also told district commissioners to personally review market conditions at regular intervals and to ensure close coordination among departments so authorities can intervene swiftly when needed, stressing that proactive monitoring and visible enforcement are essential to maintain public confidence.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/ensure-action-against-hoarding-black-marketing-of-essentials-cs-to-dcs/articleshow/131247523.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-05-21 18:44:00
