Hyderabad, Aug 10 :-
Chief Minister, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, on Monday admitted that the sharp rise in prices of essential commodities in the state was not an abnormal phenomenon.
When the House met for discussion, the Chief Minister said, “This phenomenon is not confined to our state only, but it is present in almost all the states.”
The Chief Minister said that the government has taken all measures to check the price rise of essential commodities in the state. He asked the Opposition leaders to compare the price chart of essential commodities in our state with that of other states. “Compared with other states, the prices of essential commodities in our state are very less,’’ he pointed out.
Drawing the attention of tur dal, he said that the price of tur dal in Maharashtra, which grows the crop, was Rs 74. However, the same is Rs 70 in our state, he remarked.
The Centre could not do any thing on the price rise issue as it is a matter of the state, he stated. If the new crop comes to the market, then the prices of pulses would come down automatically in the state, he explained.
However, the Opposition TDP members shouted slogans against the government alleging that it was the government which was responsible for the present situation in the state.
The Telugu Desam members assembled in the well of the House and raised slogans during a short discussion on the price rise.
Then the Chief Minister alleged that the TDP was responsible for the present crisis. “It was only during the rule of TDP there was a steep price in the prices of essential commodities than now. He reminded the TDP leader Chandrababau Naidu of the raise in prices of electricity bills during his tenure as CM.”
It was only the Congress Government which was able to hold a check on the prices by taking timely stringent measures against the traders and millers, reiterated the CM.
The Opposition leaders alleged that the government had colluded with millers and traders and demanded the government to reduce VAT on essential commodities to contain prices.
Minister for Roads and Buildings Ms Galla Aruna Kumari stated that the prices of essential commodities were raised not due to imposition of VAT but because of the overall shortage of food grains in the country, the prices of commodities skyrocketed in almost all states.