CPI(M) flays govt over payout of direct cash subsidy

CPI(M) attacked the Government over payout of direct cash subsidy, saying it was an attempt to reduce subsidies and dismantle the public distribution system.

New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Tuesday attacked the Government over payout of direct cash subsidy, saying it was an attempt to reduce subsidies and dismantle the public distribution system.

"The Government will dismantle the PDS and its responsibility towards people and secondly, it will create a mechanism to continuously lowering subsidies without saying so," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters here. He was asked to comment on the Government scheme for payout of direct cash subsidy to people through the Aadhaar based system in 51 districts of the country from January 1. Yechury alleged that the Government was reducing subsidies without saying so through the cash transfer scheme. "This is to cover up for reducing the subsidies. As inflation continues to grow, the value of cash subsidies keeps dropping. That is in effect most efficient way of reducing subsidies without saying so," he said. Yechury said the cash subsidy scheme takes away the Government responsibility to have a public distribution system. To a query on amendments to the FDI bill, he said, "The copy of the gazette, most surprisingly, whether you believe it or not, is not available in Parliament library or the website." He said he had formally met Chairman Rajya Sabha to demand that the Bill be tabled in the House. PTI