Decision on hike in milk prices within a month:CM

Mumbai, Jul 31 (UNI) MLAs, cutting across party lines, forced four adjournments in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to highlight the long pending demand for a hike in milk prices.

Intervening in the matter, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told the House that a decision on the issue would be taken in a month's time.

He said the government was supportive of the demand for a hike in milk prices and had appointed a committee to study the quantum of the hike. A positive decision in the interests of the milk producing farmers would be taken after the committee submits its report, he added.

Earlier, MLAs expressed severe displeasure over the reply of Dairy development minister Anees Ahmed to the two day debate on the problems of milk producers and the need for a hike in the prices. Mr Ahmed maintained that a decision on the hike would be taken after the committee submits its report.

Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar said the present rate was not affordable to milk producers.

UNI