Rs 12 hike won’t affect people much: Sellur Raju

After distributing free laptops for school students at a function, Raju said the hike is due to the Centre stopping subsidy on sugar. “Though the Centre has stopped the subsidy, the state was continuing on with it. But, to reduce the burden on the state, the rates had to be revised,” he reasoned.

Justifying the hike, Food Minister R Kamaraj said, despite the revision, the state has to still shell out Rs 836 crore as subsidy on sugar. Setting aside the condemnation of the opposition leaders, the Minister said the present hike has only enabled the state to reduce the subsidy from the present Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 836 crore. He also pointed out that no other state is giving subsidy for sugar. He emphasised, “People below the poverty line will continue to receive sugar at subsidised price.” 

Coming down heavily on DMK working president MK Stalin for announcing a protest on the issue, Kamaraj said, “It is strange, since the DMK supported the Food Security Act in Parliament in 2013.”