Now Reading: CPI slams Kerala government’s Onam price control measures
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CPI slams Kerala government’s Onam price control measures
CPI leader and former minister G.R. Anil has accused the UDF government in Kerala of failing to ensure affordable essential commodities ahead of Onam. He said the government cut rice allocations from…
The Story in Brief
CPI leader and former minister G.R. Anil has accused the UDF government in Kerala of failing to ensure affordable essential commodities ahead of Onam. He said the government cut rice allocations from 15 kg to 7 kg for white-card holders and from 10 kg to 3 kg for blue-card holders, while pink-card holders got no special allocation. Rice through ration shops now costs ₹26 per kg, up from ₹10.90 during the LDF government, Anil added.
Agriculture Minister T. Siddique countered that strong market interventions are under way, including 2,000 vegetable markets through Horticorp and VFPCK, with ₹20 crore allocated. Supplyco Onam fairs have started, and ₹150 crore has been released to clear paddy arrears. Special squads in Wayanad inspected 120 shops and detected irregularities at 12, the minister said.
The Indian Opinion
The familiar script plays out: the opposition cries price rise, the government promises intervention. Both have a point. Kerala, a consumer state, cannot escape external inflation, but ration allocation cuts and higher Supplyco prices are a clear reversal from LDF-era policy. Yet dismissing the UDF's market fairs and special squads as cosmetic ignores real enforcement action. The real test will be the actual market price of rice and vegetables by the week of Thiruvonam, not press releases.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thehindu.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
