BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

STATE TRADING AND FAIR PRICE SHOPS

The acute scarcity of consumers' goods during the Second World War compelled the Government of India to introduce the system of rationing. The Government had brought under control the distribution of all essential goods including, rice, wheat, jowar, bajri, sugar, gul, cloth, and kerosene through authorised ration shops. The movement and sale of these articles was strictly prohibited. The Government procured these articles under the system of compulsory levy, which was in force till 1948 after which the extent of controls was relaxed. The extent of controls was further relaxed in 1950, and controls were withdrawn completely in 1954.

The shortage of food production in 1956 resulted in the introduction of limited controls and the system of fair price shops. The fair price shops were devised to keep the prices of foodgrains and sugar under control, and to make the commodities available at a fair price.

The deteriorating food situation and the risine trend of prices in 1964 and 1965 compelled the Government of Maharashtra to introduce informal rationing and monopoly procurement of jowar and rice through Government agencies. Under the monopoly procurement system the stipulated foodgrains are purchased by the Government at stipulated prices from the producer. Private trade and movement of these articles is strictly prohibited. The system was introduced in Yeotmal district in respect of jowar in 1964-65 under the Maharashtra jowar (Restriction on Purchase and Sale and Control of Movement) Order of 1964.

In 1965-66 the Government issued a consolidated statutory order for procurement of jowar. rice and paddy, viz., Maharashtra Scheduled Foodgrains (Stock Declaration and Procurement, and Disposal, Acquisition, Transport and Price Control) Order of 1965.

The scheme of monopoly procurement comprises two parts, viz., (i) monopoly purchases and (ii) complusory procurement on a levy system. A cultivator having more than five acres of land under jowar crop is required to give the levy to Government at a certain proportion. The amount of the levy is determined on the basis of index cards specially prepared for each cultivator. The cultivator is allowed to sell jowar up to 20 kilograms to a bona fide consumer in the district. He is also allowed to sell jowar up to 20 kilograms in the weekly markets in the tahsil.

The statistics of quantity and value of jowar collected under the monopoly procurement system, and the numher of fair price shops together with the amount and value of foodgrains dishursed through them are given below:—

(Figures of quantity in metric tonnes)

An amount of 89,530 tons of jowar procured in the district was exported to the rationing areas of Bombay and Nagpur in 1967-68. As paddy is not cultivated on an extensive scale in the district, a very small amount of rice is procured from the district.

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