gÉÉŌ A.]ÉŌ. xÉÉxÉÉ

03.08.2010
discussed it under Rule 193. Again in the Winter Session, we discussed it. Then
again, in the next Budget Session, we discussed it. After the day we discussed it,
hon. Finance Minister, while presenting the Budget, proposed to impose 7.5 per
cent customs duty on crude, which was withdrawn in 2008. It was because of the
pressure from the Left that the Government had to withdraw it. That customs duty
was again imposed and also cess by one rupee per litre was increased on petrol
and diesel. By increasing this, how much burden was put on the people? It was of
the order of Rs. 14,000 crore, when one-fourth of the population in our country
remains hungry and has to go to bed without food.
In such a situation, the increase in the prices of essential commodities has
adversely affected the livelihood of our people. The Government is talking of
GDP that the growth of GDP will be to the extent of 8.5 per cent this year. What
does it mean to the poor people of our country? What will they do with the GDP
growth if they do not have food and if they have no purchasing power?
In 1943, there was a famine in Bengal. Why was there a famine in Bengal?
Prof. Amartya Sen said that the famine in 1943, which was there in Bengal, was
not because of food not being available. Why was there a famine? Why thousands
and thousands of people died because of the famine? It was because of starvation
and it was because the people had no purchasing power to purchase the food
grains. Today, we see tonnes and tonnes of food grains rotting in States like
Punjab where 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of food grains are kept open in the CAP
godowns, which means under the cover of tarpaulin under the sky. For how many
years was it kept like this? It was there for three years. It has weathered three
monsoons, and 50 per cent of the food grains now have become unfit for human
consumption and 50 per cent of the food grains have rotted.
At a time when the food grains including wheat and rice are rotting in the
open godowns, the Government has not arranged enough godowns. Even some of
the godowns, which the Government had earlier, have been de-hired. Hence, the
capacity has been reduced and the food grains are kept in the open. Further, at a
178