Modi blames central government for price rise

.....

"There is a lack of collective vision and a unified voice in tackling the issue (of price rise). The states are ready to take proactive steps, but there is lack of vision and action on the part of the central government," Modi said on the sidelines of a conference of chief ministers to discuss rise in prices of essential commodities.

Saying that the meeting should have been called earlier, Modi added that the central government had not come out with an action plan and expected the states to take steps to tackle price rise.

Citing records, Modi said 83 percent raids against hoarders had taken place in states ruled by non-UPA parties.

He said the central government's complaint of lack of action against hoarders concerned the UPA-ruled states. "There is need to encourage them (UPA-ruled states) to work in this direction," he said.

Modi said the UPA government had not fulfilled its election promises of providing food grain at Rs.3 per kg to the poor and of starting community kitchens in urban areas.

Crediting the farmers for availability of food stock in the country, the Gujarat chief minister alleged that the central government had mismanaged the food economy.

He said records showed that 10 percent of food grain were wasted in the process of storage and 30 percent rotted because it lay in the open. "If these issues are tackled, it will help a great deal in coping with the problem (of price rise)," he said.

Modi said the rise in prices was not only affecting the poor but also the middle classes, and the government should include more families under poverty line according to recommendation of expert groups.

He suggested that a task force should be formed for computerised working of public distribution system in the country.

Official sources said Modi spoke on similar lines in his address at the conference and his attempt to compare performance of the UPA and non-UPA states and accusations about the Congress not fulfilling its election promise to the poor drew an angry response from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Sources said that Mukherjee told Modi not to politicize the issue of price rise. He said all states had come on a platform to solve a problem.

The prime minister also intervened to say that the party was well aware of its election promises. He said the government was first keen on ascertaining the impact of last year's drought on the availability of food stocks.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said later that states should join hands to solve the problem of price rise and boost agricultural productivity.

Referring to Modi's remarks, he said that the issue of price rise should not be politicized.