Observing that the prices of pulses have increased in the last 20 days ranging from 30 to 40 per cent in the State, Tamil Manila Congress leader G.K. Vasan on Sunday urged the Centre and State governments to control the prices and protect the poor from market fluctuations.
The Central and State government should take steps to monitor and control the prices of essential commodities in the market by ensuring smooth supply of these commodities through the Public Distribution System, Mr. Vasan said, in a statement. Though it was the duty of the Centre to improve the country's economy, it should also protect the people's interests by continuously taking efforts to stabilise the prices of commodities, he said, adding that special focus should be on production and commerce. Claiming that the agricultural sector in the country was affected for the last 10 years, he said that those involved in agriculture have turned to other professions.
The Centre should prioritise agriculture and allow export only after satisfying the domestic demands and the producers should be protected from the middlemen, Mr. Vasan urged.
