CPI(M) Polit Bureau vents concern at rising prices

Kolkata, May 28 : The CPI(M) Polit Bureau has expressed serious concern at the increasing prices of essentials.

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after the two-day Polit Bureau meeting, which ended here today, that the prices of all essential commodities, including medicine, sugar, cement and kerosene, had increased causing immense hardship to the common people.

Mr Karat said the party had observed that the government had failed to deal with the situation and instead it was smug that the rate of inflation had come down to four per cent.

'' It is in this context that the deterioration of Public Distribution System (PDS) is affecting the people. The UPA government-set limit for the distribution of BPL cards in the state has no relation with the number of poor people,'' he asserted.

On the issue of reservation for OBCs, he said the government proposal for increasing number of seats in higher educational institutions commensurate with the increasing quota was the most equitable and balanced solution to the problem and called upon the agitating students to call off their strike forthwith.

Dwelling on the modernisation of airport, Mr Karat said the party had demanded that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) should be entrusted with the task of modernising the existing airport under its jurisdiction.

He ruled out any atempt to hand over the airport to private hands.

The AAI had reserved fund of Rs 3000 crore and it was fully competent to take up any such scheme, he said.

UNI

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