ANANTAPUR: The district committee of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has chalked out an agitational programme against the Government's inaction on soaring prices of essential commodities. The party has decided to lay siege to stock points of PDS commodities on December 8.

Talking to newspersons here on Wednesday, district secretary of the party M.V. Ramana alleged that the UPA Government had failed to control the prices of essential commodities and burdened the lives of the poor. Hoarding of commodities by the traders was creating artificial scarcity and the hike in prices, he stated.

The UPA Government had also failed to restore the control on trading of essential commodities, which was decontrolled by the previous NDA Government.

The commodities meant for public distribution system were reaching the black market in the absence of proper checking mechanism. The food advisory committees were also not meeting regularly.

The CPI would lay siege to 24 stock points of PDS commodities in the district on Friday and stage a dharna in front of the collectorate on December 19.

The CPI leader also asked banks not to lend the traders for purchase of commodities and urged the Government to increase procurement of commodities, impose sanctions on export of food grains and streamlining imports.

On the implementation of NREGS, Mr. Ramana said wages were not being paid regularly to the wage seekers. A few wage seekers of Bandlapalli were not paid wages for works completed seven months ago, he noted.

Besides, unemployment allowance was also not being paid to the wage seekers in spite of the delay of more than 15 days in showing work.

Action sought

He alleged that the field staff of the programme were swindling funds and demanded recovery of funds from the staff found to be involved in irregularities during the social audit. Party leaders C. Jaffer and Mallikarjuna were also present.

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