TN Govt Promises Steps Within Three Days to Control Essential Commodity Prices

Facing questions from a united opposition over the rising costs of essential goods, the Tamil Nadu government promised in Chennai on Friday to roll out relief measures within three days to ease the price burden on consumers.

Speaking in the legislative assembly, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection and Price Control P Venkataraman stated that the state administration is closely monitoring the situation and preparing concrete interventions. He noted that a price monitoring committee is currently tracking the rates of 41 essential commodities across the state, adding that targeted efforts would be made to control onion prices over the next couple of days.

The government attributed the recent price surge partly to the ongoing war in West Asia and the resultant fuel crisis affecting the market.

Venkataraman's remarks came in response to a special call-attention motion moved jointly by Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, and legislators representing the PMK, Congress, and Left parties.

Raising the issue in the House, Udhayanidhi highlighted the steady increase in commodity prices over the past few months. He also recalled the 2007 special distribution scheme introduced by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, under which 11 essential grocery items were supplied for ₹50 through the Public Distribution System (PDS) to cushion the public against inflation.