CM punches Centre in the face

CHIEF MINISTER Mulayam Singh Yadav today launched a frontal attack on the Congress-led UPA government ?for ignoring the interest of the state?. He said the Centre had been discriminating against UP despite its good fiscal performance during the last three years.

Tells Plan Panel UPA ignoring State’s interest

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CHIEF MINISTER Mulayam Singh Yadav today launched a frontal attack on the Congress-led UPA government ‘for ignoring the interest of the state’. He said the Centre had been discriminating against UP despite its good fiscal performance during the last three years.

Addressing a meeting of Planning Commission in Delhi, Yadav called upon other participating chief ministers to oppose the Centre’s decision to import wheat from Australia at Rs 1000 per quintal. He said better quality of wheat was available in the country but the Centre had refused to give proper support price to the farmers. Yadav asked the commission to apprise the Centre of the problems being faced by the farmers and pitfalls in wheat import.

The chief minister also asked the Centre to provide special economic package to the state for the development of Bundelkhand and central UP on the pattern of PM’s assistance to Vidarbha. He said special aid on the pattern of Uttaranchal should also be given for industrial development. Laying stress on helping backward states like UP, the chief minister said that the state had targeted 8.5 per cent growth rate in the next five year.

Yadav also criticised the Centre for not providing help on the power front. He said the Centre had also no plans to set up power plant in the state. He accused the Central government of adopting a hostile attitude towards UP.

The chief minister said his request to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for fund to provide unemployment allowance was also not accepted. Vice-chairman, Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, assured Yadav to consider his demands.