The ruling BJD, which has announced a statewide protest against rising prices particularly that of LPG, demanded a subsidy of Rs 400 per cylinder.
Talking to media persons, Food and civil supplies Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said LPG cylinder costs have risen to almost Rs 1000 and it is beyond the reach of the poor. Even the middle class is hit by the skyrocketing prices. The Ujjawal scheme has flopped, he charged while suggesting a subsidy of Rs 400 per cylinder.
Swain also took a dig at the withdrawal of the three farm laws and noted that it had been imposed on farmers and that too during the lockdown and shutdown period. The BJD had objected to the farm laws, he said.
Swain was however on the defensive when asked about why the state government had moved Ordinances on lines of the farm laws. It has lapsed, the centre had asked the states to do so, he remarked.
Congress was quick to retort that the BJD and BJP were one of the farm laws . They (the BJD) never joined the protests across the country and in parliament, remarked Congress spokesperson Ganeswar Behera. Today, they are trying to shift their stand, he added.
The BJP MLA Bishnu Sethy said the BJD is raising the LPG price issue only to deflect attention from the Mamita Meher murder case which has outraged people across the state.