This was announced by food minister SS Barnala in the Lok Sabha today. The minister's announcement followed a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Prices earlier in the evening.

The CCPA also approved import of 1.5 lakh tonne of edible oil from malysia and Indonesia through the canalising agency, the State Trading Corporation (STC) to meet the current requirements of the public distribution system (PDS).

Dissatisfied with the minister's reply, the Opposition however staged a walkout over the rising prices accusing the government of failure to control the price rise.

Replying to the debate on rising prices of essential commodities, Barnala there has been shortfall in production of groundnut oil by 16 lakh tonnes tonnes and mustard oil by seven lakh tonnesthis year. Sunflower and soyabean oil too were in short supply. The shortfall in pulses production is around 40 lakh tonnes.

He maintained that prices of cereals like wheat and rice were stable. Earlier, tHE government came under heavy fire for failing to arrest the rising prices. Members charged that the issue was not being accorded top priority by the government though most of the essential commodities have gone beyond the reach of the common man. Initiating a special discussion on the subject, the CPM member Basudeb Acharia said that the government was not at all serious though the inflation had reached alarming proportions.

Attributing the price rise to mismanagement of economy, fall-out of WTO and sanctions imposed by some countries after the nuclear tests, the member said the rate of inflation in the case of an essential item like potato had touched 325.8 per cent.

While the inflation rate for onions was 32.9 per cent, for tea it was 26.6 per cent adding that the prices of pulses had gone up by 25to 30 per cent and mustard oil had become 16.65 per cent costlier. Tomatoes and brinjals were selling at Rs 40 and Rs 30 a kilogram, he said.

In spite of this, the government was not doing anything to control the prices and their priority just seemed to be to "placate the allies", Acharia said.

Demanding a temporary ban on export of essential commodities, Achariacharged the government with attempt to destroy the public distribution system (PDS) by decontrolling items like sugar.

In an emotional speech, the Congress member Suryakanta Patil demanded stern steps against hoarders and black marketeers pointing out that prices of essential items had spiralled since the BJP-led government came to power.