Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Centre of failing to bring prices under control and claimed that Kerala had the lowest inflation rate in the country due to effective market intervention by the State government.
Addressing a gathering at the Putharikandam maidan here on Friday after inaugurating the Statewide network of Onam fairs by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco), he said the Centre had turned a blind eye to the impact of price rise on the people.
“Retail inflation in the country in July was 7.44%, with vegetable prices registering an increase of 37% while the price of cereals and pulses rose by 13%. As a consumer State, Kerala should have seen prices spinning out of control. It is only because of market intervention that we were able to bring down inflation to a level lower than the national average.”
₹270-crore turnover
Hailing Supplyco for its people-friendly approach, Mr. Vijayan said there were efforts by certain quarters to tarnish the corporation by spreading misinformation. “As many as 40 lakh ration card holders were buying subsidy items from the Supplyco network of 1,600 outlets,” he said, noting that Supplyco had registered a turnover of ₹270 crore this year against the ₹252 crore the previous year.
The government, he said, would ensure proper inventory management and control in Supplyco outlets to prevent them from running out of stock. He added that market intervention efforts by Consumerfed and other outlets in the cooperative sector were also helping to keep prices under control.
Upward trend
Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil who presided over the inaugural function said the daily sales through Supplyco shops were showing an upward trend. Transport Minister Antony Raju inaugurated the sale of goods through the Onam fairs. General Education Minister V. Sivankutty launched the sale of rebranded Sabari products.
V. Joy, MLA, and district panchayat president D. Suresh Kumar were among those present.
