Shiv Sena Wants Wheat Price Hike Withdrawn

The ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has petitioned the Centre to withdraw the recently announced 40 per cent hike in wheat prices under the open market sale scheme (OMSS), and has threatened to launch an agitation in the state on February 18 if the hike were not withdrawn.

Satish Pradhan, leader of the Shiv Sena in the Rajya Sabha led a party delegation to Union ministers D P Yadav (food and civil supplies) and Chaturanan Mishra (agriculture) on Thursday.

The hike has affected all states. The Shiv Sena wants that even if wheat is transported from Punjab to any destination in the country, the price should not exceed Rs 6,000 per metric ton. The hike had led to considerable anomalies in the prices between states as well as within states.

In a memorandum submitted to the two ministers, the Shiv Sena said if the hike was not withdrawn, wheat prices in the open market were likely to go up from Rs 6.50 per kg to Rs 12 to Rs 14 per kg.

The price of maida, which the Shiv Sena said had so far been restricted to Rs 650 per bag of 90 kg, was also likely to go up to Rs 1,200.

We understand that during the February 9 meeting of the United Front's steering committeee, Janata Dal working president Sharad Yadav expressed concern over rise in prices. The contradiction in the government's decision to increase prices of essential commodities like wheat, and the steering committee expressing concern over price rise is inexplicable, and is nothing but double-talk, the memorandum said.