The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Roll back milk price hike, says Jayalalithaa

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Monday, Mar 17, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Roll back milk price hike, says Jayalalithaa

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa has demanded again that the government withdraw the increase in the price of Aavin milk, stating that there was no “justification for the steep hike.”

In a statement here on Sunday, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the DMK government in the last 21 months had increased the milk price twice and the hike was between Rs. 3.25 and Rs. 6 a litre. In the second time alone, the price was increased by Rs. 2 to Rs. 4 a litre. On the other hand, during her regime from 2001 to 2006, the price hike was between Rs. 2 and Rs. 3 a litre.

Refuting Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s charge that during the previous regime the selling price of milk was increased more than the procurement price, Ms. Jayalalithaa said no doubt the then government increased the selling price by Rs. 2 a litre but effected an increase of only 50 paise on procurement price in 2001. But it was done with a view to clear procurement arrears due to milk producers to the tune of Rs. 36 crore, which was left by the previous DMK government. But in 2004 when the procurement was increased, it was not passed on to the consumers ‘considering their interest.’ Not only the then government cleared procurement price arrears to the dairy farmers but also saw to it that the procurement price was paid to dairy farmers once in 10 days.

By justifying that the price increase was effected to meet the dairy farmers’ demand for a hike in procurement price in view of the increase in the cost of cattle feed and other commodities, the Chief Minister had openly admitted that there had been an all round increase in prices in the State. She also listed prices of various milk varieties during her rule and in the present regime.

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