Thiruvananthapuram:
The CPI-M led Opposition members on Monday staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly protesting the government's "failure" to check price rise of essential commodities even as the government announced a slew of measures for open market intervention.
Replying to a notice for a motion moved by C Divakaran (CPI), Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the government had already started fair price shops for selling vegetables and essential commodities and to make available more rice to both below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) card holders.
The supply of rice at Rs 16 per kilo through the outlets of Civil Supplies Corporation would continue, he said. The Consumerfed would supply "Jaya brand rice" and "Kuruva" at Rs 22 per kilo and Rs 19 per kilo respectively, Mr Chandy said.
Besides the 347 vegetable outlets opened recently by various government agencies, another 100 retail shops would be set up by the state-owned Consumerfed, Mr Chandy said.
Steps would also be taken to check hoarding and stringent action taken against people who indulge in malpractices and create artificial scarcity to push up prices, Mr Chandy added.
Mr Divakaran alleged that the government failed completely to check prices of essential commodities.
Before walkout, Leader of the Opposition VS Achuthanandan of the CPI(M) said that 70 per cent of people depended on the open market for their purchase and the government should take steps for open market intervention.