Civil Supplies minister D Sridhar Babu has warned dealers against the black-marketing of rice and other essential commodities.
The minister said that severe action would be taken against dealers who create artificial scarcity in the market.
He was taking to media persons after inaugurating rice counters at the Rythu Bazars in Mehdipatnam and Saroor Nagar. He announced that Sona Masoori rice would be sold from these counters at a rate of Rs. 29 per kg.
Sridhar Babu said that to stop the nexus between the traders and the retailers from creating artificial scarcity in the market, the state government plans to start rice counters across AP.
He rejected reports that the government was contemplating scrapping white ration cards.
Minister for Marketing And Warehousing M Mukesh Goud said that the government has been trying to keep markets neat and clean.
He also said it has been trying to provide jobs to self-help groups and unemployed youth through a marketing network.
MLAs Virasat Rasool Khan and Muqtada Afsar Khan and Civil Supplies commissioner Harpreet Singh and others were present on this occasion. (INN)