Srinagar, April 4 -- In a decisive move to safeguard consumer interests, the Centre has urged States and Union Territories to intensify action against hoarding and black marketing-practices that distort markets, inflate prices, and disproportionately hurt the most vulnerable. The directive comes at a time when supply chains remain sensitive and inflationary pressures continue to challenge household budgets. Hoarding and black marketing are not merely economic offences; they are ethical failures that exploit scarcity for private gain. Whether it is essential commodities, medicines, or agricultural inputs, artificial shortages created by unscrupulous actors disrupt the delicate balance between supply and demand. The result is predictable: r...