Who can eat in Rs.47, asks JD-U leader Sharad Yadav

Janata Dal (United) Party (JDP) leader Sharad Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) member J P Yadav on Monday refused to agree with the recommendations of the C.R.Rangarajan Panel report on poverty.

Both leaders said that it was a joke and ridiculous to accept the projected figures in the report regarding the cost of food for a poor individual.

Sharad Yadav told ANI, "The estimated number of poor in the country is far from the real numbers. The statement passed by Arjun Sengupta is correct. Rangarajan was working under someone, so how can he provide the right figure in regard to how many poor people are there?"

Yadav added, "How can anybody eat in Rs.47? Passing such a statement is completely wrong and a cruel joke. Planning Commission talks under different criteria. Bureaucrats do not know anything about this country. Until it is not given to politicians, exact figures wouldn't be known."

J P Yadav told ANI, "Such an amount is not enough to eat and live. The issue needs special attention. The upcoming Budget Session must focus firstly on increasing prices in various sectors. Even before the declaration of budget, the railway fare has seen a hike."

Last month, the government hiked the rail passenger fare and freight fares by 14.2 percent and 6.5 percent respectively. The last fare hike was in October 2013.

"The unprecedented price hike in diesel and rail fares reflects the incompetence of the government. The ruling government had promised for good days which are nowhere to be seen. But one can definitely witness the bad days with such price hikes. There will be discussion on their failures and problems related to poor," he added.

The 42-day-long Budget Session of Parliament will begin from today and will have 28 sittings.

During this period, Railway Minister Sadanand Gowda and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government's first Railway and General Budgets on July 8 and July 10 respectively.

The Economic Survey will be released on July 9. The session will end on August 14.