Public distribution system has collapsed under Nitish govt in Bihar: BJP

Patna: Senior BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday alleged that the poor families were not getting subsidised food grains and sugar as a result of collapsed public distribution system in Bihar.

At a time when the Narendra Modi government has reduced the price of diesel by Rs 11.59 and petrol by Rs 12.80 much to the relief of distressed farmers, the poor families in Bihar were not getting subsidised food grains and sugar as the PDS had collapsed under the Nitish Kumar government, he said in a statement.

"Who is responsible for denial of food right to the poor people of Bihar? Why do food grains meant for poor are being sold through black market and not PDS?" Modi asked Kumar criticising him for crying hoarse over the pulse price hike recently.

Reminding the CM about his announcement to provide two kg subsidised sugar to the poor people through PDS, the former deputy chief minister noted that the people had to buy the commodity from the market during the festive season.

Compounding woes of the masses in Bihar, the JD(U) government has imposed additional tax on petro products to mop up more revenues at a time the Centre has substantially reduced prices of diesel and petrol to mitigate the woes of farmers.

The chief minister has been consistently harping on the steep rise in the prices of pulses and slammed Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ramvilas Paswan with being indifferent to the plight of the people due to price rise.