Acting on reports of a few ration shops providing commodities at a higher price while some others selling them in the back market taking advantage of the lockdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Jharkhand government on Wednesday released a rate-chart of various essential items.
It asked the buyers to report the officials concerned if any ration shop overcharged them.
According to the rate-chart, pulse has been fixed at Rs 75 a kg, wheat flour between Rs 22 and Rs every kg, mustard oil is priced between Rs 90 and Rs 95, rice between Rs 20 and Rs 24 each kg, refine oil between Rs 75 and Rs 80 and channa priced at Rs 60 a kg.
The step followed concerns expressed by Governor Droupadi Murmu and Chief Minister Hemant Soren over the matter.
Soren renewed his appeal to the people to remain indoors during the 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minisster Narendra Modi to prevent spread of COVID-19.
At the initiative of Ranchis Senior Superintendent of Police Anish Gupta, buyers were seen procuring commodities amid security measures, police sources said.
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Greeting the people on the first day of the Navratri, the chief minister urged citizens not to venture out unnecessarily and maintain social distance to keep away from coronavirus infection.
However, some people were seen moving in their private vehicles and two-wheelers in different districts with the police trying them to understand the importance of the lockdown that has been enforced to prevent and contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The frequency of vehicles thinned as the day progressed with the administration pleading to the people to stay at home.
After being informed that 25 people from Jharkhands Deoghar district have been stranded at Haridwar, Soren asked his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat to support them and let them remain there for 21 days in the wake of security concerns.
Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other officials of different districts are also urging the people to stay at home during the lockdown period.
Jharkhand has not reported any coronavirus positive case so far, but the state government is taking measures to prevent COVID-19 outbreak.
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