Diesel Price Hike Making Common Man Miserable: Lok Satta

The Lok Satta party on Friday demanded that the State Government reduce taxes on petroleum products, and provide relief to the common man.

Commenting on the steep increase in the diesel price by the Centre, Lok Satta party general secretary Srinivasa Rao pointed out that it would have a deep impact on our state, where both the industrial and the agricultural sectors have become heavily dependent on diesel for power generation in the wake of unending power cuts. The hike in the diesel price will lead to an escalation in public transport charges and add to the common man's misery, he said.

Rao lamented that the ceiling of six LPG cylinders per family per year was harsh, and stated that the Union Government should raise the supply to at least eight cylinders.

The Lok Satta leader welcomed the state government’s decision to procure paddy directly from the farmers, process it into rice, and utilise it under the public distribution system. If properly implemented, the scheme would promote competition between government based and private rice millers, and ensure a remunerative price to the farmer, while also bringing down the costs of public distribution, he opined.

Srinivasa Rao, however, wanted the government to ensure that it has the effective machinery and the adequate infrastructure including warehouses all over the state for making the scheme a success. (INN)