DEHRADUN, Aug. 28 -- Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the senior officials of the state administration to ensure effective control over the prices of essential commodities and ensure their availability to the public at fair rates. He emphasised that strict action must be taken against those indulging in black marketing, hoarding and profiteering by artificially inflating prices.

The CM also instructed that the Food and Civil Supplies Department along with other departments concerned should regularly monitor the availability and the market prices of essential items. He said it must be ensured that no artificial scarcity is created at any level to extract higher prices from the public. He further directed that demand and sup...