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Govt asked to take effective steps

By The Assam Tribune

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 � Taking note of concerns over rising prices, the Lok Sabha today adopted a motion urging the government to take further effective actions to contain adverse impact of inflation on common man, reports PTI.

The motion was adopted after a marathon debate during which the Opposition accused the government of being insensitive to the sufferings of people, a charge rejected by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who outlined various initiatives being taken by the government.

�This House takes a considered view of inflation and urges the government to take further effective action to contain its (inflation) impact on common man,� Speaker Meira Kumar said.

The issue of price rise was discussed in the form of the motion as a compromise after a week-long deadlock over the mode of debate as opposition parties demanded voting, which was opposed by the government.

Mukherjee, in his hour-long reply, listed a series of steps taken by the government to contain price rise to ameliorate sufferings of vulnerable sections of the society.

The Finance Minister used the opportunity to make a strong plea to the entire spectrum of political parties for support to the government�s move for implementing Goods and Services Tax (GST) replacing a layer of state and central taxes and duties.

Rejecting a charge of being insensitive to common man�s sufferings, the Finance Minister said, �If government was not sensitive it would not have gone for Right to Education as also jobs for the rural poor and entitlement of foodgrains through a legal enactment. All these are indications of the sensitivities of the government towards people.�

He also hit out at the BJP-led NDA government wondering whether their decision to increase kerosene price from Rs two a litre to Rs 9 was an act of being sensitive to the people.

�As a village boy I have studied up to class X under a lamp of kerosene. I used to walk 10 kms everyday. So I know the life of a villager. Don�t ridicule my sensitivity,� Mukherjee said.

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