1. Fixation of prices:
Prices were fixed not only of varieties of grains, pulses, cloth, cattle and horses but also of articles like meat, fish, dry fruits, sugarcane, vegetables, betal-leaves etc.—all articles of daily use. Even prices of slaves were also fixed.
A comparative study of prices would be quite interesting:
(a) Prices of essential commodities
Soldiers could lead a reasonable standard of living with this salary.
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2. Grain market:
Ala-ud-Din opened government stores of grains to sell them from where everybody could buy. The peasants brought their surplus grain in the market. The government officials made purchases of grain from them, stored it in their stores and sold it to the people.
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3. Cloth market:
The cost of cloth was comparatively higher than the food articles. The cloth market sold a variety of cloth. Cloth merchants were given advances to purchase cloth from outside and sell it in Delhi at fixed prices.
4. Slave market:
In the slave market, slaves were bought and sold like any other commodity.
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5. Rationing system:
During the time of famine or other natural calamity, the king introduced rationing system for the people of Delhi. Under this system, half a maund of grain was given to every family in distress.
6. Government granaries:
The Government had established god-owns for storing grain in reserve to be released in time of scarcity. In every ‘mohalla’, there were two or three royal stores filled with food stuffs.
7. Appointment of officials:
A special officer known as ‘Diwan-i-Riyast’ was appointed to look after the working of the system. The Shahana-i- Mandir was the Superintendent of the grain market. Marketing officers were appointed to fix price, to ensure that the fixed prices were charged. The officials were required to ensure that the traders complied with the instructions issued to them by the Sultan.
Quality control officials were appointed to check the quality of the articles supplied by the traders to the consumers.
8. Determination of weights and measures:
The government prescribed weights and measures and no body dared to sell any commodity underweights as the same amount of flesh was cut off from his body.
9. Registration of traders:
A person desiring of entering into trade was required to get himself registered.
10. Ban on hoarding:
No producer or trader could indulge in hoarding. Severe punishments were inflicted upon the law breakers.
11. Information of market through children:
The king used to send small children to test the honesty of the traders. Those who cheated children were given severe punishment.
12. Spy system:
Ala-ud-Din’s spy system was very elaborate and trustworthy. The king kept himself well-informed of the working of the control system of the market through the spies.
13. Control of supplies:
Ala-ud-Din realized that mere fixation of prices was not enough and it had to be enforced with the regular supply of commodities. He, therefore, established government stores of different commodities.
14. Control of transport:
Traders and ‘banjaras’ who carried goods from one place to another were registered. Every possible facility was provided to them in the transportation of goods.