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State lets down the poor: CPI(M)

BHUBANESWAR: The Communist Party of India(Marxist) on Friday blamed the Naveen Patnaik Government for its failure to improve the economic condition of the poor people of the State during its eight-year rule.

The party demanded that the Government should provide rice at Rs. 2 per kg to all the poor families instead of covering only those having BPL cards.

At a press conference here, secretary of the party’s State Committee Janardan Pati demanded that the government should make provision to provide rice at the rate of Rs. 2 per kg to all the 59 lakh families were living on the verge of starvation in the State.

Observing that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik realised about the plight of the poor only after ruling the State for eight years, Mr. Pati said the State government should have started the rice scheme long ago to help the poor.

Mr. Pati also criticised the Ministers and legislators of the ruling alliance for celebrating the launching of the scheme in different parts of the State when poor people were starving.

Expressing apprehension that the rice scheme would not be implemented properly through the public distribution system that was known for its poor functioning, Mr. Pati demanded that the State government come out a

detailed list of all those families who get rice at Rs. 2 per kg at regular intervals.

The CPI(M) would start an agitation next month to demand issuance of BPL cards to all poor families and supply of 25 kg of rice to them under the scheme, he said.

Mr. Pati also demanded adequate supply of fertilizer to farmers and a probe into the fertilizer that the Central government was releasing for the State and its distribution. On price rise and the controversial nuclear deal with the US, Mr. Pati said his party would extend active support to the Left trade unions in observing a nationwide bandh on August 20.

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State lets down the poor: CPI(M)

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