Chandigarh, Jun 14 (IANS): Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Wednesday said that the state has once again topped in inflation, unemployment, corruption and crime.
He said the figures released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) have shown that the people of the state are continuously getting crushed by the mounting inflation.
Reacting to the report, Hooda said inflation in the state has become so alarming that it has crossed the highest level fixed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), along with all states.
"Today the inflation rate in the state is 6.04 per cent. The inflation rate in rural areas has been estimated at 7.12 per cent. As per the report, the rates of milk, vegetables, fruits and daily needs in the state are the highest in the whole country. It has also become difficult for the poor and middle class to manage kitchen expenses," he said.
Hooda said during the Congress tenure Haryana used to get cheap petrol and diesel in comparison to neighbouring states because VAT rates were the lowest in the state.
"The BJP-JJP government doubled the VAT rates. This has impacted the price of all things, which is being confirmed by the government figures themselves. Ever since the BJP came to power, the prices of almost every commodity, including flour, milk, ghee, mustard oil, pulses, cooking gas, have doubled or more than doubled, while the income of the common man is continuously decreasing," he said.
The Leader of Opposition said the government had increased the rates of electricity in the past. "Earlier, the government had increased the rates of water and put additional burden on the public, now the government is going to make education expensive, along with everyday needs," he pointed out.
"The government has categorically refused to give funds to the universities. Due to this the universities have started increasing their fees. Hisar-based Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University has increased the fees by 100 to 150 per cent. Education will become very expensive in the coming days," he said.