Amritsar, August 23 (K.L. Jit Walia, Arun Sharma): Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson and MLA from the Amritsar South Assembly constituency, Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, has strongly criticized the Central Government over the continuously rising prices of sugar. He said that wrong policies of the Central Government and the increasing diversion of sugarcane towards ethanol production have affected the availability of sugar, directly putting an additional burden on the pockets of ordinary people.
Dr. Nijjar said that within just 18 days, the price of sugar has risen from ₹45 to more than ₹70 per kilogram, which is a matter of concern. He added that onion prices have also increased from ₹30 to ₹60 per kilogram over the past month. He said such a sharp rise in the prices of essential food items raises serious questions about the policies of the Central Government.
MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that the Central Government introduced ethanol blending in petrol with the objective of saving foreign exchange and reducing dependence on crude oil imports. However, he said, it is also the government’s responsibility to conduct a balanced assessment of the impact of this policy.
He said that if a large quantity of sugarcane is diverted towards ethanol production, it is natural for this to put pressure on sugar production and its availability in the market. He added that the adverse effects of increasing the proportion of ethanol in petrol on vehicles are a separate issue.
Dr. Nijjar demanded that the Central Government take concrete steps immediately to control the rising prices of sugar and other essential commodities and provide relief to ordinary people. He said the government should maintain a balance between its ethanol policy and the availability of essential food items for consumers.
He said that the Modi government had shown the people the dream of “Acche Din” but pushed them into difficult times, and the country is currently going through a very challenging period. He said extreme inflation has made it difficult for ordinary people to manage their households.
He added that inflation directly affects the household budgets of middle-class and poor families, and the Central Government should take immediate and effective decisions keeping people’s difficulties in mind and take measures to control inflation.
KL JIT WALIA
