Expensive pulses

According to the news channel, making fun of those who do not know how much pulses cost is completely wrong when it comes to people who have been compelled to really consume expensive pulses. The pulses' retail pricing is astronomical. The increase occurs over a year.   

Pulses in the state cost no more than Rs 100, as stated by the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister in a straight answer to a pointed query about pulse pricing.  He made this emphatic assertion while speaking with the media recently. 

He made no compunction in denying the rising pricing of dal ranging between Rs 180 to below 200 per kg. He did not feel it was wrong to say it was a false information. A kilogram of pulses costs no more than Rs 100. 

He was even seen laughing in an endeavour to sidestep the topic when it was asked again. Next to him, smiling, was Baldev Singh Aulakh, the Minister of State for Agriculture.

The BJP continues to blame the Samajwadi Party and the Congress for the price increase despite all the latest evidence. What a truly brilliant concept! Yes, that is absurd and nonsensical in every manner. 

The BJP ministers were noticed giggling and verifying that pulses were only costing less than a hundred rupees. Their laughter was a sign that they did not altogether agree with the real market rates. 

A pertinent question was also raised when the minister last purchased the pulse, a common ingredient in the indigenous plate. 

According to reports, the people were purchasing arhar dal in a nearby city from Lucknow for Rs 181 at a mall. 

Customers are even compelled to purchase only 100 grammes of arhar dal due to the higher retail pricing. The sharp increase in inflation has no tick.

The UP Minister of Agriculture made it quite evident that our role as the Minister is to boost output. We import 25–30 thousand crores worth of pulses into our country. Imported oilseeds are valued at Rs 1.20 lakh crore. 

We must learn to rely solely upon oilseeds and pulses. Educating farmers on the benefits of oilseed and pulse farming is the answer. But, who cares about consumers? 

These lines: (दiल-दiल hai ज़िंदगी सो धंसते चले गये हम, अपनी बेबसी पर यूं ही हँसते चले गये हम!) 

The state produced 12.40 lakh tonnes of oilseeds in 2016–17; in the most recent fiscal year, that amount rose to 28.16 lakh tonnes. The production of pulses has also increased over this time, rising from 23.94 lakh tonnes to 32.53 lakh tonnes.