Odisha Assembly witnesses’ noisy scenes over rise in potato prices
The zero hour in the Odisha Assembly witnessed noisy scenes after several members of the Opposition BJD and the Congress expressed their concern over the rising potato prices in the state during the last few days and the government's failure to control the price.
Bhubaneswar: The zero hour in the Odisha Assembly witnessed noisy scenes after several members of the Opposition BJD and the Congress expressed their concern over the rising potato prices in the state during the last few days and the government’s failure to control the price.
The prices of potatoes in the state rose after the West Bengal Government stopped supply of potato to Odisha.
Opposition Chief Whip Pramilla Mallik (BJD) raised the issue, saying the price of Potatoes has doubled from Rs 30 to 60 per kg during the last seven days and demanded the government explain what steps it was taking to control the price and ensure supply.
She said the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister sometimes said 300 trucks of potatoes were being imported from Uttar Pradesh, but they had not yet reached the state.She said the consumers are being exploited.
She said Potato is a poor man’s food and the rise in prices has hurt them the most.Congress Legislature Party Leader Ramachandra Kadam said the government has failed to control the prices of essential commodities. The price of essential commodities has increased manifold during the last five months after the BJP government assumed power.
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He urged the Speaker to direct the government to assure the house that they would control the price within two days.Ganeswar Behera (Cong)said, the Minister in a statement claimed that the potato is available for around Rs 35 or Rs 36 per kg but it is not true. Nowhere potato is available for Rs 36 per kg. He said 300 trucks of potato, that the Minister is claiming to be coming from Uttar Pradesh is far short of the daily requirement of the state.He said the traders were arranging to procure 300 trucks of potatoes from Uttar Pradesh and the government has no role in it.
He demanded the Speaker direct the Chief Minister and the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister to intervene in the matter and to hold discussions with the West Bengal government to ensure steady supply to improve the situation and initiate steps for a permanent solution.Dhruba Charan Sahu (BJD) supported Behera on the issue.Goutam Buddha Das (BJD) held the government responsible for the rise in prices of potatoes. The government has no plan to solve the issue.
The Minister, he said, had been misleading the people since July by giving false statements that the potatoes are being imported from Uttar Pradesh. People were very angry and said they would teach the Minister a lesson.
He demanded the government chalk out a long-term plan to solve the problem.Sidhant Mohapatra (BJP) said that had the previous BJD government implemented the potato mission correctly such a situation would not have arisen.
