The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday after accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of planning to ‘euthanize’ the state civil supplies corporation (Supplyco) and making way for the entry of monopolistic retail giants into the state.
The Assembly saw a spirited debate between the treasury and opposition benches after Congress MLA Shafi Parambil moved an adjournment notice over the poor financial condition of Supplyco, its mounting dues and the lack of availability of essential food items at its stores.
“The liabilities of Supplyco range between ₹2500 crore to ₹3000 crore. Has there been such a huge liability during the time of any government? Suppliers are not participating in the tender process as they are owed arrears amounting to ₹792 crore from Supplyco. For a firm that faces such huge liabilities, the government has kept aside only ₹205 crore in the budget to take steps for market intervention,” Leader of the Opposition (LoP) VD Satheesan charged.
He claimed that Supplyco failed in its primary duty of controlling the price rise in the market through the sale of 13 essential food items with subsidies at its stores. Satheesan said that during the UDF regime from 2011-16, essential items were not only present at the stores, but new Maveli, Nanma stores and supermarkets were inaugurated as well.
{{/usCountry}}He claimed that Supplyco failed in its primary duty of controlling the price rise in the market through the sale of 13 essential food items with subsidies at its stores. Satheesan said that during the UDF regime from 2011-16, essential items were not only present at the stores, but new Maveli, Nanma stores and supermarkets were inaugurated as well.
{{/usCountry}}“Now, the (food and civil supplies) minister is saying that by us talking about Supplyco, new retail giants will enter the market. It’s the government which is planning to euthanize Supplyco to make way for monopolistic giants,” the opposition leader said in his speech before walking out of the House.
In his speech, food and civil supplies minister GR Anil claimed that the opposition did not say a word against the BJP-led Centre in its complaints about delivery of essential food items, thus proving the undercurrents between the Congress and the BJP.
“We admit that there has been a deficiency in supply of a few essential food items recently. But you must remember that the government took on dues of ₹6000 crore to give essential food kits to people during the floods and the pandemic,” the minister said, adding that the administration is doing everything possible to strengthen the market interventions to control price rise.