Pulses being sold at Rs 100 per kg: UP agriculture minister's remarks causes social outburst

New Delhi: Pulses are an essential part of almost all Indian diets as it is termed to be one of the basic constituents of our food and is eaten by people belonging to different economic classes in India. The price of pulses is skyrocketing, with all major pulses costing over Rs 30 per 250 grams. 

In a recent press conference, Uttar Pradesh's Agriculture Minister, Surya Pratap Shahi couldn't restrict himself from laughing while they were discussing the increased prices of pulses in India. The junior minister also laughed. This incident has sparked outrage causing people to criticise the minister's act tagging it as indecent when almost all pulses are being sold at a price tagged at Rs 100 per kilogram. 

Minister's indecent response over rising pulse price 

When reporters asked for information on where these pulses could be found at the price mentioned by him, the minister's laughter only grew louder. This reaction comes at a time when the cost of essential food items has become a major issue across the country. It is affecting millions of households.

This incident response by the minister shows a major concern about the citizen's economic challenges being faced in India, particularly when the Indian government is gearing up to present the Union Budget 2024. The government's budget decisions directly impact the prices of commodities like pulses, affecting the daily lives of citizens nationwide. With prices skyrocketing, especially for staple foods like pulses, there is growing pressure on policymakers to address these issues effectively.

"100 रुपए किलो से ज्यादा दाल कहीं नहीं है। 100 रुपए किलो है दाल.."
यूपी के कृषि मंत्री दाल का भाव बताकर PC में हंसने लगे जूनियर मंत्री ने भी यही किया।
पत्रकारों ने पूछा कहां मिल रही है 100 रुपए किलो तो मंत्री जी फिर हंसने लगे ?
हाल में हुए लोकसभा चुनाव में मंत्री जी अपनी विधानसभा… pic.twitter.com/UIiuztJgeI

— Parvez Ahmad (@parvezahmadj) July 9, 2024

Moreover, the laughter from the minister, who recently faced defeat in his constituency during the Lok Sabha elections, has sparked criticism. It raises questions about the government's understanding and approach to handling the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens.

As discussions continue on the national budget and economic policies, the affordability and availability of essential commodities such as pulses remain important topics. Citizens are looking to the government for real actions that can ease the financial burdens they currently face.

Union Budget for 2024-25 

 Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister will present the first Union Budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term on July 23, 2024. This will be the first full-term session since the 18th Lok Sabha members took oath. The interim budget was presented in February 2023.