With Union Minister Sharad Pawar’s remark on milk shortage in north India and a demand for its price hike fuelling a fresh controversy, Congress today said the government’s efforts to check the price line should bring fast results.
The party, however, steered clear of questions like whether it was satisfied with the performance of Pawar, or should there be a change of guard in the Agriculture Ministry, with Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi saying he “will not make any such subjective comment”.
“The government is trying but we will like to see momentum in the efforts and above all, results should come fast,” Singhvi told reporters at the AICC briefing.
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His remarks came in response to questions raised over Pawar’s statement, who today warned that north India was facing a shortage of milk, adding “there is a demand that we should hike the prices.”
Asked to comment on the issue, Singhvi said, “while there may be undoubtedly a problem because of physical and product constraints like demand and supply, those who identify the problems must necessarily work towards providing an expeditious solution as well.”
He added “We hope and trust that it will be their (government’s) approach. We hope and trust that this (prices) will not be allowed to escalate. It is a very serious issue. Congress has always been prompt towards addressing it,”
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Singhvi said, “Everybody, including he himself (Pawar), is dissatisfied with the issue of prices.”
Asked whether the doctor should not be changed if he fails to diagnose the disease, the Congress spokesperson said, “you cannot extrapolate a generalised simile.”
He said there are many areas in which both the disease or the fever had come down, referring to the dip in prices of some commodities in last few weeks after the government announced a slew of measures.
The improvement has been brought about by the “same department and the same ministry”, he added.
He also denied that the government was not listening to the Congress party, and said, “I do not accept that the government is not listening to the party or not taking efforts to control prices.
“Certainly, every effort has been made and is being made.
But there is definitely scope for improvement and we are pushing for it,” he added.