gÉÉŌ A.]ÉŌ. xÉÉxÉÉ

03.08.2010
them are migrating to towns seeking some other job. So, the production is going
down.
As I said earlier, the prices of petrol and diesel affect the prices of other
commodities. One of our colleagues defended the increase in prices of diesel,
petrol, kerosene, etc. Even the Members of the ruling party, the Congress did not
defend it so much. But the hon. Member, who is an ally of the Congress defended
it strongly. He said that it was unavoidable. He recalled what the earlier Prime
Ministers and Ministers, like Shri H.D. Deve Gowda and Shri Mulayam Singh
Yadav did. He also recalled that the BJP Government also increased the prices of
these products during its regime. I would like to say that that is why they have lost
the Government. Shri H.D. Deve Gowda, Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav and the
BJP lost the Government because they took wrong decisions and followed wrong
policies. That is why they have lost. If the Congress Party also follows the same
policies, this Government will also not survive. They have to face the election.
I would like to talk about the Public Distribution System. In order to
control the prices and in order to help the poor people, we have to distribute all
essential commodities through the Public Distribution System. This is very
important. One of our friends said that they are giving one kilo of rice at one
rupee in Tamil Nadu. But see what is actually happening in Tamil Nadu. In open
market or in any shop, you cannot get good variety of rice below Rs. 45 per kg.
Even the price of dal has gone up to Rs. 90. … (Interruptions)
When we go to villages and when we meet people, they are telling that they
are not getting sufficient rice at particular time. Most of the PDS shops in the
villages are part-time shops. They distribute the commodities once or twice a
week. When agriculture labourers go to shops at certain times to get the essential
commodities, they are not able to get it. Some times they are told that all the
stocks are over. We do not know where the stocks have gone. They are telling
that they are giving one kilo of rice at one rupee. But most of the rice is smuggled
to neighbouring States and also to other countries.
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