Powers to control production supply distribution etc. of essential commodities and cattle

Powers to control production, supply, distribution, etc., of essential commodities and cattle.

1. (1) If the State Government is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do for maintaining or increasing supplies of any essential commodity or for securing their equitable distribution and availability at fair prices, or for maintaining or increasing the supply of cattle or for securing their equitable distribution and their welfare, it may, by order, provide for regulating or prohibiting the production, supply and distribution thereof and trade and commerce therein.
2. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), an order made thereunder may provide—
   • (a) for regulating by licences, permits or otherwise the production or manufacture of any essential commodity;
   • (b) for bringing under cultivation any waste or arable land, whether appurtenant to a building or not, for the growing thereon of food-crops generally or of specified food-crops, and for otherwise maintaining or increasing the cultivation of food-crops;
   • (c) for controlling the price at which any essential commodity or cattle may be bought or sold;
   • (d) for regulating by licences, permits or otherwise the storage, transport, distribution, disposal, acquisition, use or consumption of any essential commodity or cattle;
   • (e) for prohibiting the withholding from sale of any essential commodity kept for sale;
   • (f) for requiring any person holding in stock, or engaged in the production, or in the business of buying or selling, of any essential commodity or cattle—
     • (i) to sell the whole or a specified part of the quantity held in stock or produced or received by him, or
     • (ii) in the case of any such commodity which is likely to be produced or received by him, to sell the whole or a specified part of such commodity when produced or received by him, to the State Government or an officer or agent of such Government or to a Corporation owned or controlled by such Government or to such other person or class of persons and in such circumstances