The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Price rise likely to have impact on bypolls

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Monday, May 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Price rise likely to have impact on bypolls

No concrete measures being taken to check escalating prices, say voters

YELLAREDDY (Nizamabad Dt): The Rs. 2-a- kilo rice scheme re-launched by the government notwithstanding, steep rise in the prices of other essential commodities is one major issue that is likely to have an impact in the forthcoming byelections slated for May 29.

A majority of people in Medak and Nizamabad districts where bypolls are being held in some Assembly constituencies, agreed that the rice scheme had indeed provided some relief to their shoestring budgets. They, however, opined that the relief was not adequate to offset the prices of other essentials including vegetables. The scheme would not be of much use when the prices of sweet oil, dal and vegetables were hitting through the roof, they said.

“Do the rulers want us to survive on rice alone? How will the scheme benefit when there is no check on the prices of other essentials?” asked 60-year-old Siddamma in Dommat constituency that is going to poll.

She is sore that concrete measures were not taken although prices had been escalating for months together.

The issue also came in handy for supporters of Telangana who have been claiming it to be “yet another injustice perpetrated on the people of the region.”

“Moreover, the timing of the launch of rice scheme clearly shows that it is an election sop,” B. Mallesham, a hotel owner in Siddipet town, said.

Sugarcane farmers sore

The ‘differential treatment’ meted out to sugarcane farmers in Nizamabad district was yet another issue that was causing concern. Farmers in Adloor, Yellareddy and Tadvai villages of Yellareddy Assembly constituency where sugarcane cultivation is predominant, expressed concern over the lesser support price being given to them compared with their Andhra counterparts.

“We get Rs. 900 per tonne for sugarcane while the Andhra farmers secure support price in excess of Rs. 1,200. We are being discriminated as the owners of all sugar industries located in the district have roots in coastal Andhra,” B. Sreepal Reddy, a sugarcane farmer of Tadvai mandal, said asserting this would be a major issue in the bypolls.

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