BJD, Cong MLAs express concern over potato scarcity in Odisha Assembly

Opposition BJD and the Congress members in the Odisha Assembly on Monday expressed concern over the acute scarcity of potato and the rising price of tuber in the retail market.

The issue was raised during the Zero Hour by Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik, who held the state government "responsible" for the potato scarcity in the state and rising prices.

"The government has completely failed to control the price rise and provide essential items like potato to the people," Mallik said.

Stating that potato scarcity is felt regularly when neighbouring West Bengal stops supply, the BJD leader said that the price of a kilogramme of potato is sold at Rs 50 to Rs 60. However, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister claimed that the price of potato remained at Rs 30 to Rs Rs 35. "Where did the minister get the potato at this price? Please give the address to people," she said.

Mallik said the minister said that 300 trucks of potatoes were being imported from Uttar Pradesh, but they had not yet reached the state so far. She alleged that the poor consumers are being exploited by government and unscrupulous traders.

Stating that potatoes are poor man's food, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rama Chandra Kadam alleged that the state's BJP government has completely failed to meet the requirements of the people.

This apart, the Congress leader said that the price of all essential commodities has increased during the last five months after the BJP government assumed power in Odisha.

Kadam urged the Speaker to issue a direction to the government to assure the House that they would control the price within two days.

BJD's Ganeshwar Behera alleged that the minister has been misleading the people. He said that the minister on Sunday said that 300 trucks of potatoes are being imported from UP. But the fact remains that the government has no role in it. The traders are bringing these potatoes, Behera said.

BJD members Dhruba Charan Sahu and Goutam Buddha Das also came down heavily on the state government over the potato scarcity and price rise of the tuber. "The government has no plan to solve the matter even as the state is facing potato scarcity at regular intervals," Das said, adding that a similar situation was created in July this year.

"Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had told media persons that he had a talk with West Bengal CM. But, what happened? Did the people get potatoes," Das asked.

BJP member Siddhant Mohapatra, however, blamed the previous BJD government for the present potato crisis. "Had the previous BJD government properly implemented the potato mission, such a situation would not have arisen in the state," the BJP MLA said.

Amid the state-wide uproar over the potato crisis, some trucks carrying tubers from Uttar Pradesh reached Odisha.

"Four trucks from West Bengal and one truck from Uttar Pradesh carrying potatoes arrived on Monday. At present, we are selling potatoes at Rs 38 per kg at wholesale rates," said Debendra Sahu, secretary of the Chhatra Bazaar Traders' Association in Cuttack.

Meanwhile, the enforcement squad of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department conducted raids at various markets in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack following alleged sale of potatoes at the rate of Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg.