Taking a dig at the BJD government in Odisha, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today ridiculed the state administration describing it as "immobile."
"Gradually, the state administrative machinery is becoming immobile. Except some symbolic action, the state administration does not take any stand on issues," Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said.
The minister was speaking on the prevailing potato crisis in the state.
"Isn't it ridiculous that a government, which is in power for so long, is not in a position to ensure adequate supply of potato to the people?" Pradhan asked.
Instead of taking steps to address the crisis, Pradhan said the government was setting up commissions to find out the reasons for potato price hike.
"Not only this, the ministers also blame each other over the potato issue. This is utterly deplorable," he said.
As the potato is sold at the rate of Rs 18 a kilogram in market during the harvesting period, the three departments involved in the matter "blame" each other, he said.
While state Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy claimed that potato production was "not" less as estimated, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma said there has been 30 per cent less production of potato due to climate change.
BJP workers in Sambalpur today burnt effigies of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Agriculture Minister Maharathy over the state's alleged inability to meet the potato requirement.
