BRS Legislature Party deputy leader T Harish Rao on Monday demanded immediate steps to check the rise in prices of rice and other essential commodities in Telangana.
He also urged the State government to crack down on black marketing, hoarding and excessive profit margins, and take action against those responsible.
In a statement, Harish Rao alleged that prices of fine rice had increased by 25 per cent in four months, placing an additional burden on households.
He questioned the rise in prices despite the government’s claims of record crop production.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the State’s fine rice scheme, saying the continued increase in market prices indicated that consumers were not opting for the rice supplied under the scheme.
Harish Rao further alleged that farmers were receiving only nominal prices under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, while middlemen were making more than Rs 8,000 a quintal.