PATNA, Oct 24:
Countering criticism of BJP by rival parties in Bihar polls over rising prices of pulses, Union Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Centre is taking steps to quell the crisis through imports and asked the JD(U)-led state government to act against hoarders to provide succour to the people.
“The production of pulses declined, nationally and globally. Pulses production declined by 5 million tonnes this year in the country, which was further aggravated by hoarding.
“The central government is taking steps to contain the prices and that includes importing pulses,” Jaitley told reporters here.
Announcing that 12 state governments had acted against hoarders and recovered 50,000 tonnes of pulses stocked illegally, he said that Bihar would “benefit” if action was taken against hoarders in the state.
“If Bihar government acts against hoarders, people of the state would be benefited,” he said.
Asked by reporters about pulses selling at Rs 200/kg, Jaitley said that while, around one-and-a-half-years ago, inflation was at 12 per cent, it was now down to between three and four per cent.
Prices of various items like diesel, petrol, metal, sugar and wheat have declined globally and nationally, but not that of pulses, he said.
The issue of the prices of pulses is being vociferously raised by grand secular alliance leaders Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad to attack the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The rival parties are looking to corner BJP over what they have charged is its “failure’ to contain the prices of essential commodities. (PTI)
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