Sitharaman brings farm sector reforms, to deregulate onion, potato prices

Stock limits will be imposed only under exceptional circumstances like national calamities and famine, said the FM

In a measure that could help improve the supply chain, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced that food items such as cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potatoes will henceforth not fall under the purview of the Essential Commodities Act.
 

Measures such as stock limits will be imposed only under exceptional circumstances like natural calamities and famines.
 

Though a pale shadow of its former self, the Essential Commodities Act, vested state governments with a lot of powers, many of which will not exist once the Act is amended at the Central level.
 

“The Essential Commodities Act, along with