Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Food Minister Pradyumn Singh Tomar took a dig at the Centre while saying that those who came to power in the name of Lord Ram have burdened ‘devotees’ with cess imposed on petrol and diesel.
The minister however fended off queries when asked about the price hike imposed on fuel by his own government.
Speaking on the Union Budget announced on Friday, Tomar said, ‘Unki Sarkar Shree Ram ke naam par satta me aayi thi to unko ram bhakton ka khyal rakhna tha par unhone mahngayi laad di, (Their government had come to power on the name of Lord Ram but instead of taking care of their poor devotees, they are burdening them with additional taxes).
The minister claimed that if a farmer’s son or daughter goes to school in bus or any other vehicle, the fare is bound to increase after the price hike.
However when reminded by the media that his own government followed suit by imposition of cess on petrol and diesel, the minister avoided a direct reply on the same.
Pradyumn Singh Tomar also talked about the government plan of food grain portability being implemented in 18 districts of Madhya Pradesh. The minister said, “If a person eligible for ration from fair price shop moves away from his home town for work, he could still take his ration at the city where he lives through Aadhar identification.”
The Madhya Pradesh government is providing one shop for all the ration card holders by allowing them purchases from all fair price shops through Adhaar card-linked internet access.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Kamal Nath too had pinned the blame of fuel price hike on the Centre.
“My government was forced to hike petrol-diesel prices as the Centre has cut down the fund allocation to Madhya Pradesh,” Nath said. He accused Centre of step-motherly treatment towards Madhya Pradesh on funds allocation claiming this would lead to inflation in the state.
After the Centre had imposed Re 1 each cess on petrol and diesel to fund welfare measures in state budget, the Kamal Nath government has followed suit by imposing cess of Rs 2 each on petrol and diesel.
The double whammy had led to steep price hike of Rs 4.88 a litre in Petrol and Rs 4.80 a litre on diesel in Madhya Pradesh evoking a sharp reaction from the public.
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