Hyderabad, August 08: Debate on rising prices of essential commodities in the State Assembly generated heat with both the Opposition and the Government indulging in heated arguments on the issue today.
Both the treasury and the Opposition TDP blamed each other for price rise of commodities during their respective periods. Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu has sought more time to discuss the `burning’ issue in the House.
The TDP members who included E Dayakar Rao, Annapurnamma, Seethakka, K Dayakar Reddy and others staged a dharna at Gun Park outside the assembly premises by organising a `model market’ to register their protest. Several TDP members attended the House wearing garlands made of vegetables and foodgrains to mark their protest before commencement of debate.
Participating in the debate, senior TDP member M Narsimhulu charged the ruling Congress of failing to take action against the traders as their leaders took huge bribes from the millers before the elections. Amidst chaos, he alleged that Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Finance Minister K Rosaiah did severe injustice to the people.
Intervening, the Finance Minister demanded the Opposition member to give a notice before resorting to allegations against him and the Chief Minister.
Amidst interruptions, Narsimhulu demanded the Government to allocate Rs.1,000 crore to control prices in the State. He also demanded for cut in taxes in respect of petrol and diesel products.
He asked about the stocks seized by the vigilance department and the details of foodgrains produced during the last five years. In spite of good rains and better productivity, people were forced to suffer due to steep hike in prices of essential commodities, he said.
B Satyananda Rao (PRP) urged the State Government to provide market intervention fund of Rs.1000 crore to check price rise in the open market. He wanted the Government to implement the prepoll promise made by his party leader K Chiranjeevi by supplying essential commodities at Rs.100 per family for the poor.
K Vidyasagar Rao (TRS) pointed out that there was no fall in prices in spite of setting up of a Cabinet sub-committee headed by K Rosaiah.
G Kishan Reddy (BJP) said there was no effective mechanism to check price rise. He demanded the Government to set up rythu bazaars in each Assembly constituency, cut in VAT on pulses and for reduction in sales tax on petrol and diesel to solve the problem.
Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House to continue the debate on August 10.
–Agencies–