Govt failed to check soaring cement prices: Agnihotri

Our Correspondent

Una, July 21

Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri slammed the government for its alleged failure to check the soaring prices of cement in the state on Sunday.

In a press note issued here, he said the price of a cement bag had increased by Rs50 since the Jai Ram Thakur government had come to power. It had put additional burden on the common man.

Agnihotri alleged that the Chief Minister and the Industries Minister were busy globe-trotting in the name of seeking investments, while people here were facing the heat of increasing prices of cement and other construction material such as sand and gravel.

He said mining mafia had set their own rates for the construction material.

Agnihotri said during the Congress regime, the prices of cement had reduced drastically. It also remained uniform throughout the tenure.

He said cement plants in the state that were utilising natural resources should keep the interests of the locals in the forefront. He said the Congress would raise the issue in the Vidhan Sabha.

Agnihotri alleged that even after one-and-a-half years in power, the Jai Ram Thakur governmentwas yet to get a grip on governance. Bureaucrats were taking independent decisions, while transfers on political considerations were still continuing. Schoolchildren were still awaiting uniforms, while laptops promised to meritorious students had not reached them so far, he alleged.

The Congress leader said essential items were not available at fair price shops. The government was forcing panchayat pradhans to cut short the list of Below the Poverty Line (BPL) families by deleting names, thereby depriving affordable ration to the poor.