Mulayam slams UPA for ''anti-youth, anti-farmer policies''

Kanpur, July 31 (UNI) In the run-up to next year's Assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today slammed the Congress-led UPA government for ''misleading the masses on the unemployment allowance being paid by the UP government from its own resources.'' Addressing a public meeting here, Mr Yadav said the Centre had announced the payment of the allowance to the youth, but could not provide funds to UP, despite repeated requests to the Prime Minister and Union Labour Minister.

''We have generated funds from our own resources and so far four lakh youth have been given assistance at the rate of Rs 500 per month,'' he said.

The government had fixed a target to pay the allowance to eight lakh youth, the Samajwadi Party chief informed. ''Although, it is called unemployment allowance, it is being given to the unemployed as a token of help to compete in exams to get jobs.'' Criticising Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, Mr Yadav said during her recent Kanpur visit, she had issued ''baseless statements'' saying it was central funds, which were being distributed by UP to derive benefits in the 2007 assembly elections.

''When the state government is helping boys and girls financially from its own resources, we do expect return for our good work.'' Ms Dikshit should retract her baseless remarks, he said adding, Congress had lost its base and was misleading people in the wake of popularity of the SP government in UP. ''Congress will be totally routed from the state due to its misrule in the centre.'' Holding the Manmohan Singh government as anti-farmer, the CM said it was due to wrong agriculture policy that the farmers were forced to commit suicide.

''India is agriculture-based country, but the production is decreasing year-on-year,'' he said adding, the input cost had gone beyond the farmers' purchasing power, the production is bound to suffer.'' Mr Yadav asserted his government, however, did not allow the prices of fertilisers to spiral by providing subsidy.

He alleged the Centre was importing wheat at much higher rates, but not paying the same amount to Indian farmers. ''The imported wheat is also unfit for consumption.'' MORE UNI KSP VS RP DS1510