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Discrimination against M.P., says BJP

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday alleged in the Rajya Sabha discrimination by the Central government against Madhya Pradesh in allocation of foodgrains, power, coal supply and drought relief.

Raising the matter during zero hour, Ms Swaraj said the BJP members had sat on dharna in Parliament House to lodge their protest.

She said the State was getting only 11,000 tonnes of foodgrains against its demand for 1.36 lakh tonnes, whereas States ruled by the Congress or its allies, like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, were getting much more.

She said there were 60 lakh BPL families in Madhya Pradesh, but the Centre’s quota was only for 41.25 lakh BPL families. Besides, the Central share of electricity to the State and the supply of coal for thermal power stations were inadequate. “Where should we go,” she asked adding that the people of the State would not tolerate such discrimination.

Outside Parliament BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu dismissed the Central government’s claim that the allocation of foodgrains for States was non-discriminatory and was being done on the basis of average lifting of grain for the public distribution system by States in previous years.

He said the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan had met the Prime Minister in this context along with his party MPs from the State.

A presentation on the drought affected regions was also made before a Group of Ministers. But, to this day “not a penny” had been received for drought relief.

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