BANKING, TRADE AND COMMERCE

STATE-TRADING

The second world war caused a general scarcity and mal-distribution of various goods of daily necessity such as food stuffs, cloth, sugar and kerosene. The then Government, therefore, decided to control the prices of these articles and accordingly supply and distribution of essential articles were undertaken by the ex-Hyderabad state till 1954. The general food supply position improved during the following years. A policy of decontrol was subsequently adopted. Bhir district along with the other districts of the Marathwada region was included in the then Bombay state in 1956 after the reorganisation of states and from 1960 it formed part of the Maharashtra state. In view of the growing scarcity and the rising prices of the essential commodities, the scheme of state trading in food-grains was adopted in the district in 1957.

There are 41 fair price shops in the district distributed in the various tahsils as follows:—

Bhir (8), Ambejogai (12), Kaij (2), Ashti (2), Manjlegaon (1), Georai (6) and Patoda (10). Government allots the fair price shops to the co-operative societies, village panchayats, municipalities and private traders on fulfilling certain conditions.