Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the Central government's decision to allow pharmaceutical companies to increase prices of essential drugs drastically will hit the common man hard.
In a statement, Gogoi said the steep rise in prices of essential drugs is a clear "indication" that the Narendra Modi-led government was "yielding to the pressure" of the pharmaceutical industry, international lobbies and making many life saving drugs beyond the reach of the common man.
"The increase in prices of essential medicines used in the treatment of diseases like cancer, kidney and heart will affect not only the poor, but also the middle class," he added.
India has the world's largest number of diabetic and hypertension patients and if essential drugs are not made available at affordable cost, most of the patients will not be able to continue the treatment properly, Gogoi said in the statement.
The chief minister pointed out that the Modi-led government had taken a "retrograde" decision in September last year by scrapping ceilings set by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Agency (NPPA) for 108 drugs used in treating diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
"In 2012, the UPA government took a bold step by adding 365 drugs to the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and manufacturers were not allowed to sell them above prices fixed by the government, giving great respite to the common man.
In the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR)
category, the Budget has provided Rs 700 crore compared to Rs 970 crore in 2015-16, the Chief Minister said.
Talking about the Rs 100 crore grant to Bodoland Territorial Area Districts, Gogoi said, "Even I give more than that to the Bodoland Territorial Council. When Modi came, he promised to give Rs 1,000 crore on demand from BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary, but now he is giving this. It is good that he (Mohilary) is cheated."
Mohilary's party Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which was a Congress ally during last Assembly polls, has joined hands with the BJP for the forthcoming elections after getting assurance of Rs 1,000 crore special package from the BJP.
When asked if Congress would consider taking back BPF on board if it decides to return back for an alliance, Gogoi said, "We have made it very clear that we will not go for an alliance with BPF."
On Rs 5,000 crore allocation to the entire North East for building roads and bridges, the Chief Minister questioned how was the Centre going to fulfil Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's announcement of Rs 1,00,000 crore investment by his Ministry in the region over the next five years.
Regarding granting of ST status to Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motak and Tea tribes, he said BJP was playing "political gimmick" on the issue.
"Earlier, they agreed to give the ST status. Now they have formed a committee to fix the modalities. This is just playing a hide and seek game to fool the Assamese people before the polls," Gogoi added.
