Modi govt mulls big legislative changes in Essential Commodities Act

Centre to tweak legislation to impose ESA in exceptional situation

The Modi government is planning big legislative changes in the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to attract private investment in the farming sector.

According to the plan, all discretionary powers vested with the Central government to impose ECA through the states would be completely withdrawn and the Act would come into force only in case of three exceptional circumstances, officials said.

These include a big natural calamity, emergencies such was war or national conflict and when production of a certain commodity falls below a threshold limit, a drop of over 10- 15 per cent. 

"At present, the government has overriding powers