01/12/10
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Press Information Bureau(C.M. Information Campus)Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.
C.M. severely criticises Union Agriculture Ministerfor his irresponsible and insensitive statement
People facing problem of inflation owing towrong economic, export and import policies of Centre
Without assessing demand, Centre exportedsugar on lower prices to benefit sugar millsβ Mayawati
Lucknow: January 11, 2010
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati, while reacting sharplyover the statement of Mr. Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister of theCongress led UPA Government, in which he said that βhe did not knowwhen the prices would come down β he is no astrologerβ– said that it wasa highly irresponsible and insensitive statement by a person, who happensto be a Minister of the Government of India. She said that the UnionAgriculture Minister, in his statement, was holding UP Governmentresponsible for the rising prices of sugar, which showed that he wasshirking away from his responsibilities.The Chief Minister said that owing to wrong economic, export andimport policies of the Centre and its mentality to benefit capitalists, theprices of food grains, pulses and edible oils had been rising day after dayand it was affecting the life of people adversely. She said that the CentralGovernment should have timely assessed the situation and taken steps,but the Government of India neither made any effort to control prices ofthe edible articles nor it fulfilled its responsibilities. Instead it remainedfully insensitive towards its duties, she pointed out.Expressing her surprise, Ms. Mayawati said that on one hand theGovernment of India did not pay any attention towards the rising prices offood grains and sugar, while on the other its ministers were issuingirresponsible statements that encouraged forces which were responsible forrising prices. Owing to these statements, these forces were now indulgingin increasing the prices of essential commodities without any fear.The Chief Minister regretted that the ministers of the UPAGovernment, instead of checking the rising inflation, were issuingirresponsible statements that encouraged hoarders and black marketeers.She said that the hoarders and black marketeers took advantage of thestatements of the Union Ministers which said that the rise in the priceswould continue for two years. Owing to these statements, such forcesstored edible articles including sugar and created artificial demand. Shedemanded from the Central Government that such mentality should bechecked immediately.Ms. Mayawati said that the crushing season 2006-07 was best for thesugar production, during which 283 lakh MT of sugar was produced, whileduring 2007-08 season 264.16 lakh MT sugar was produced. She allegedthat the Central Government did not keep the sugar requirements of thecountry in mind and it did not create adequate buffer stock in the years2006-07 and 2007-08. She said that the Central Government, withoutassessing the future sugar demands of the country, allowed export ofsugar on minimum prices for two years continuously to benefit the sugarmills. She said that owing to this wrong decision of the Centre, the sugarwas imported from the international market at higher rates during the year2009-10, which caused huge financial losses to the Government of Indiaand the people were forced to face rising prices.Rubbishing Mr. Pawarβs statement that the state government hadbanned import of raw sugar, the Chief Minister said that the stategovernment had advised the Railway Board to postpone transportation ofraw sugar through railway racks for a limited period only. The stategovernment had taken this step to save the railway property from theresentment of the cane growers. She said that her government had takenthis action with an objective to protect the interests of the farmers duringthe current crushing season.Ms. Mayawati said that her government had taken several steps tocheck the prices of foodgrains and sugar. She said that the officers hadbeen ordered to take stringent action against hoarders and blackmarketeers, so that the people got relief from inflation. She said that on 25November 2009 her government had set the stock limit for sugar andkhandsari at 2000 quintals and the stock turnover limit had been fixed at30 days. Besides, the DMs had been ordered to ensure its compliancestrictly.The C.M. said that the officers had been directed to monitor theprices of sugar and other essential commodities on daily basis. Besides, thedifference between the wholesale and retail prices of edible articles shouldbe studied on monthly basis and if price rise was detected in comparison tolast month, then the issue should be discussed with the Vyapar Mandal andother business organisations and distribution of articles should be ensuredat adequate prices. She said that the DMs had been directed to submit adetailed fact report with clear recommendations to the government throughdivisional Commissioners to take action against hoarders/artificial demandcreators under Essential Commodities Act 1955. She said that around 1200quintals of sugar was being sold through all the 140 outlets of the UP RajyaKarmchari Nigam all over the state. She said that it was cheaper by Rs. 10than the market price of the sugar.*******
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