Centre's policies responsible for price rise: Modi

Patna, Jun 15 (UNI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today flayed the Centre for steep hike in prices of essential commodities and said its flawed policies and poor fiscal management were responsible for it.

In a release issued here, Mr Modi said despite its limited power in controlling the prices, the Bihar government had tried to provide cushion to the people of the state by reducing sales taxes on petrol and diesel apart from cut in Value Added Tax (VAT) on LPG cylinder.

''The slashing of sales tax on petrol and diesel by 2.5 per cent and 1.66 per cent, besides reduction of VAT on cooking gas cylinder by 3 per cent have made cumulative effect resulting in revenue loss of Rs 150 crores to the state exchequer,'' Mr Modi said, adding that despite the resource crunch, the state government had to take the decision to save people of the state from the brunt of price rise.

Taking pot-shot on Railway Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, the Deputy Chief Minister said he never failed to project himself as the champion of the poor and down trodden but did not bother to influence the policies for checking the price rise which was affecting the weaker and underprivileged section of the society.

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