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Action against hoarders of edible oils, oilseeds to keep tab on price rise

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Cooking oil hoarding in Maharashtra and that of soybeans and mustard seeds in Madhya Pradesh has prompted the Centre to invoke actions under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act 1955, officials said on Tuesday.

Prices of cooking oil are on an upwards swing globally due to the Ukraine-Russia war. “The domestic prices of edible oils have been following the international suit and the prices have increased considerably over the past one month which may be attributed to the current geopolitical condition,” officials said.

Inspections have revealed very large hoardings of soybean and mustard seeds in Dewas, Shajapur and Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh. “These seeds were much above the stock limit prescribed by the government. Hoarding of seeds has pushed up the prices of soybean oil. The state government has been asked to step in to take necessary action under the EC Act, 1955,” Department of Food & Public Distribution said.

Similarly, in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, large quantities of edible oils were found in excess of the prescribed quantities of the control order. Wholesalers and big chain retail outlets were the main violators. “The state governments have been requested to take corrective measures in accordance with the relevant sections of the EC Act,” officials said.

Over the weekend, teams have been sent to Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Gujarat and Delhi, the officials said, adding, “Inspection is ongoing in the remaining five states.”

The state governments of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have also been requested to ensure that supply chain is not affected while taking action under EC Act.

In order to ensure strict enforcement of the Central Order of March 30 and February 3, the Central teams from the Department of Food & Public Distribution have been deputed to conduct surprise inspections of the stocks of edible oils & oilseeds held by retailers, wholesalers, big chain retailers and processors in major oilseed producing and consuming states.

The Government of India has taken several proactive steps in the last few months to stabilise the prices of edible oils in the country, including declaration of stocks by all stockholders of edible oils and oilseeds under the Essential Commodities Act (EC Act), 1955.

In order to curb price escalation on account of hoarding and resultant artificial scarcity of edible oils, which is a basic necessity in the food basket, the Government of India has notified a Central Order on March 30 that amended the ‘Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs Order, 2016’ and its Central Order dated February 3 by extending the stock limits for all Edible Oils and Oilseeds put together for a period up to December 31 for all states/union territories. This order is effective from April 1 up to December 31, 2022.

Business

Maharashtra govt issues notice to Ola Electric over missing trade certificates

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Pune, April 4: The Maharashtra government has issued a notice to Ola Electric Mobility Limited, asking the company to explain why some of its stores in the state are operating without valid trade certificates.

According to the notice from the Transport Commissioner’s Office, several Ola Electric showrooms and service centres in Maharashtra are being run without the required documents.

The notice also accuses the company of illegally selling vehicles through these unauthorised outlets.

According to media report, the notice, dated March 31, gives the company three days to respond.

“This is a very serious matter, and you are requested to provide an explanation within three days as to why action should not be taken against your company for this act,” the notice said.

It was reportedly signed by Joint Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaikwad. However, as of now, Ola Electric has not responded officially on the issue.

The notice follows an earlier inspection drive initiated by the state transport authority.

On March 21, NDTV Profit had reported that Maharashtra’s Transport Commissioner had instructed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to carry out special checks at Ola Electric stores.

These inspections reportedly revealed that many outlets were functioning without the necessary trade certificates.

As per the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, every vehicle distributor or manufacturer must obtain a trade certificate to register and sell vehicles.

In addition, Rule 35 of the same law states that each showroom or dealership must have a separate certificate from the concerned registration authority.

The shares of the electric two-wheeler manufacturer closed lower by Rs 1.42 or 2.63 per cent to close the intra-day trade at Rs 52.62 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

Earlier this week, the company saw a sharp drop in its electric two-wheeler sales in March 2025, selling 23,430 units — a steep 56 per cent decline compared to the same month last year.

The company said on April 1 that the fall was mainly due to disruptions caused by its recent shift to handling vehicle registrations in-house, a process that began in February.

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Business

Cabinet okays 4 projects worth Rs. 18,658 crore to expand track network of Indian Railways

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New Delhi, April 4: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four projects to expand the track network of Indian Railways with an investment of Rs 18,658 crore, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

The four projects covering 15 districts in three states – Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh – will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 km.

These projects include Sambalpur-Jarapda 3rd and 4th Lines, Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th Lines, Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Lines, and Gondia-Balharshah doubling

The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects are in line with PM Modi’s vision of a New India, which will make people of the region “Aatmanirbhar” with comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/ opportunities, the official statement said.

The projects are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which entail integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

With these projects, 19 new stations will be constructed, enhancing connectivity to two Aspirational Districts (Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon). The multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to around 3,350 villages and about 47.25 lakh population.

Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa lines will provide direct connectivity to new areas such as Baloda Bazar, and this will create possibilities for the setting up of new industrial units, including cement plants, in the region.

These lines are essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as agricultural products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, and limestone. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum), the statement said.

With rhe Railways being an environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, the new projects will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics costs of the country. The projects are expected to reduce oil import by 95 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 477 crore kg, which is equivalent to planting 19 crore trees, the statement added.

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‘Waqf Bill will benefit Muslims, no threat to religious sites,’ says Shahabuddin Razvi

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New Delhi, April 4: Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, expressed his support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would significantly benefit Muslims and ensure the betterment of their socio-economic conditions.

He praised the passage of the bill in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and thanked the Modi government.

Maulana Shahabuddin, giving his first reaction to passage of bill, said, “The Waqf Amendment Bill does not harm common Muslims, it will benefit them. The only ones who stand to lose are the Waqf land mafias who have illegally occupied valuable land. Common Muslims will not be affected by this.”

He further stated that the bill is aimed at protecting the interests of the poor and vulnerable sections of the Muslim community.

The Maulana explained that the revenue generated from Waqf land would be used to improve the socio-economic status of impoverished Muslims, particularly those unable to afford quality education for their children.

“The income from Waqf land will be used for the benefit of poor Muslims, helping children from low-income families get a better education, and assisting orphans and widows in their development,” he said.

Maulana Shahabuddin assured that the funds would be used according to the intention of the Waqf and aimed at opening schools, colleges, madrasas, and orphanages to uplift the educational and social standing of underprivileged Muslims.

Addressing concerns about the impact on religious sites, Maulana Shahabuddin stated, “The Waqf Amendment Bill poses no threat to religious sites. Mosques, madrasas, Eidgahs, cemeteries, and shrines will remain unaffected. The government will not interfere with these religious institutions in any way.”

He further cautioned the Muslim community against falling prey to misleading political narratives, urging them not to be swayed by political figures seeking to exploit the situation for their own gain.

“Some politicians are misleading Muslims for their own interests. I appeal to the Muslim community to not fall for their provocations,” he added.

In the early hours of Friday, the Rajya Sabha approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with a majority of 128 votes against 95, following a heated debate. The Bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha just a day earlier, after nearly 12 hours of intense discussions.

Drawing a parallel to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) controversy, Maulana Shahabuddin recalled how political leaders misled the Muslim community, causing unwarranted fear that Muslims would lose their citizenship.

“When the CAA law was introduced, Muslims were misled into believing that their citizenship would be revoked. However, after its implementation, it became clear that no Muslim in India lost their citizenship, and instead, many were granted citizenship,” he stated.

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