Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 29 (ANI): Taking a dig at the Andhra Pradesh government, YSRCP State spokesperson Putha Sivasankar said on Saturday that drought and Chandrababu have become "twin children," with hardship returning every time Chandrababu Naidu comes to power.
He said only 20-25 per cent of the cultivated area has been sown due to poor rains and lack of irrigation, while farmers, women, students, employees and small earners are facing severe distress.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, he said soaring prices have overturned household budgets, forcing families to spend 40-50 per cent of their monthly income on essentials. "Sugar that was around Rs 35-40 per kg during YS Jagan's tenure is now Rs 75; ordinary rice has risen from Rs 40 to Rs 65 and super-fine rice from Rs 48 to Rs 75. Tur dal and urad dal have increased from around Rs.100-105 to Rs.160, chana dal from Rs 70 to Rs 95, onions from Rs 18 to Rs 70 and dry chillies from Rs 120 to Rs 390," he claimed.
He said cooking oil prices have also surged sharply. Palm oil has risen from Rs 80 to Rs 154-160 per litre, sunflower oil from Rs 90 to Rs 192, groundnut oil from Rs 140 to Rs 215 and rice bran oil from Rs 100 to Rs 163. Referring to Chandrababu's earlier remarks on oil prices, Putha asked what answer he has now when prices have nearly doubled under his own government.
He said the burden extends beyond food, with LPG, liquor and electricity costs also rising steeply. A power bill that was once around Rs 300 is now reaching Rs 1,500-2,000 and even Rs 3,000-5,000 in some places.
Putha said the YSRCP government intervened through Civil Supplies and the Price Stabilisation Fund even during Covid, supporting consumers and farmers.
He demanded immediate market intervention, subsidised essentials and price control, warning that YSRCP would take the issue to the people if the government failed to act. (ANI)
Price rise crushing people under Chandrababu's rule: YSRCP's Putha Sivasankar
