Govt fails to control price hike: TDP

Hyderabad, Feb 13 (UNI) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu today alleged that the State Government had totally failed to control price hike of the essential commodities and also the welfare sector in the state.

Talking to media soon after his party walked out from the house protesting against the Speaker's refusal to discuss the hike in the prices of essential commodities, Mr Naidu said the government had not taken any measures to solve problems of the common people.

He said the Congress in its election manifesto promised to control the prices of essential commodities. He alleged that contrary to its promises, the Congress had not taken any steps to solve the problems of the common people and hike in the prices.

He said, instead of providing subsidy for the gas as promised in its manifesto, it had increased the gas prices. He said the Government had increased the prices of petrol and diesel seven times though the crude prices had come down internationally, putting a burden of Rs 6,300 crore on the common people.

Mr Naidu alleged that the Public Distribution System in the state had completely collapsed and subsidised rice had been reduced from 25 kg to 20 kg and kerosone from eight litres to three litres in villages and from 18 litre to eight litre in urban areas.

Alleging the prices of essential commodities had increased to 200 per cent during the Congress rule, he claimed the prices of essential commdities had come down during nine-year TDP rule in the state.

He said the TDP Government had provided Rs 100 crore for market intervention fund to control prices. Though the state government had announced Rs 500 crore for market intervention fund, the government had not spent any amount so far, he alleged.

He said the Government's claim of 9.2 per cent growth had only benefited two per cent of people.

UNI