The Congress on Saturday demanded that State Government waive 2.5% GST it is charging per cooking gas cylinder and set up more vegetable cold storages in rural areas.
Addressing a Press conference, Mahila Congress national secretary Sasmita Behera and party State spokesperson Rajani Mohanty held the BJD Government responsible for the sharp rise in the prices of potato, onion and other vegetables.“Despite the tall talks of the State Government, we still depend on other States for essential foods like chicken, potato, onion, tomato, beans, etc. Then, what benefit the State’s farmers get while you receive Krushi Karmani Puraskar,” Behera asked the Government.
On the hike in prices of LPG, the Congress leaders said that during the UPA Government at the Centre, the price per 14.2-kg cylinder was Rs 410.50 and every family was getting at least 12 cylinders per annum at the subsidised rates, but it has gone up to Rs 926 and the price in Balangir, Sambalpur and Kalahandi is Rs 959. This means that during the Modi Government the price rose by up to Rs 550. Similarly, the petrol price also increased 459% during 2014 to 2021. Kerosene was provided earlier through PDS at Rs 14.96 and the Central Government cut the subsidy on cooking gas since last year, Behera added.