Govt's steps insufficient to check prices: BJP

New Delhi, June 22: Describing the UPA's Government's decisions as "to late and too little," to check prices of essential commodities the BJP, resolving to intensify its agitation, on the issue, demanding a complete roll back of hike in fuel prices and sale of edible oil and pulses through PDS, and steps against hoarding.

The party also wanted the Government to control the National Commodities and Derivatives Index (NCDX) speculations, increase the PDS quantity and reduce the prices through ''effective intervention'' to defuse the crisis following unhindered steep price rise in almost all commodities.

The party said the price rise was not the result of any natural calamity but was a manufactured crisis by the UPA. The Government failed on both counts by not taking timely decisions and pursuing anti people policies.

It said while the Congress and high prices were synonymous as whenever it was in power, prices had gone northward, its ally at the Centre, Left parties, were shedding just ''crocodile tears'' on the matter.

Talking to newspersons, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said the Congress-led UPA had miserably failed to check prices, dubbing Mr Sharad Pawar as "Cricket Mantri" instead of Agriculture Minister.

Besides there was no coordination between the Food Ministry and the Finance Ministry, one recommending exports and other prescribing imports.

The Cabinet's decisions to stop export of pulses and allow private parties to import wheat and sugar were insufficient to meet the situation without the complete roll back of fuel price hike and an effective control on NCDX, he added.

Mr Javadekar said the government's claim of maintaining less than five per cent inflation had been belied and the UPA had no mechanism like the NDA having a GOM to keep price rise under control.

Criticising the Manmohan Singh Government for frequent increase in fuel prices, he said the Government was collecting 21 per cent of their total revenue receipts from just petroleum products which was unparalleled in the world.

On wheat front, he said the Government was fully aware that the TPDS requirement of wheat was 160 lakh MT every year but it procured from farmers only 95 lakh MT, a shortfall of 75 lakh MT. He alleged that the government had offered 'low price' to the farmers and allowed multi-national companies to purchase from the market.

This, he claimed, had resulted in hoarding of the commodity due to which prices had gone up by almost 70 per cent.

He said the Government announced a bonus of Rs 50 to the farmers only after the procurement season was over and did not act against the hoarders but chose to reduce the foodgrain quantity under PDS.

UNI