gÉÉŌ A.]ÉŌ. xÉÉxÉÉ

03.08.2010
the increases in prices have been unprecedented at this juncture. As you know the
Wholesale Price Index has been the indicator of percentage of prices of primary
food articles. I was going through the figures of the Wholesale Price Index of the
country for May, 2010, the latest month for which data is available, and it has been
detected that the price of primary food articles increased by 16.5 per cent; price of
pulses grew by 32.4 per cent; price of eggs, meat and fish grew by 35 per cent;
price of milk grew by 21 per cent; price of sugar increased by 26 per cent; price of
flour increased by 16 per cent; price of cereals grew by 66 per cent; and the price
of fruits and vegetables grew by 7.6 per cent.
Therefore, we should remain very much alert and conscious, and try to find
out some ways as to how this system can be changed and how we can overcome
these issues.
Now, it has been told that prices of vegetable and onions are coming down
a little bit. But so far as the other items are concerned, their prices are gradually
increasing. We propose to save the farmers from the distress selling. We raise the
slogan “Grow more food”. In our State of West Bengal, once the farmers produced
so much potatoes, they had to go in for distress sale; and the potato was sold by
the farmers at Re. 1 per kilo whereas its cost was Rs. 2.05 per kilo. They had to
throw this. So, proper storage system is required. It is the most important aspect.
There is a tremendous need for the cold storages in different States for the
common and poor farmers of the country.
So, the number of cold storage facilities is to be increased, and the places to
keep their products in a very systematic and scientific manner are to be given
proper opportunity. Food grains storage systems are to be strengthened.
I am interested to know from the Government of India the steps the
Government is going to take in connection with the price rise which has taken
place. We, as a partner of the UPA Government, would urge the Government that
since the price rise, which has taken place, is causing tremendous difficulties to
the common people, this issue has to be reconsidered very firmly, considering the
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