Faulty policies have pushed economy to worst ever crisis: Yechury
Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Monday said the "faulty" policies of the BJP-led central government had pushed the Indian economy to its "worst ever crisis" and were also behind the recent spate of agrarian movements across the country.
The industry and agriculture sectors were the "worst victims of the faulty economic policies", he said, adding that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) supported the farmers' agitation.
"The recent agrarian movements across the country took place due to the faulty policies and the farmers are the worst victims," Yechury said, while claiming that farmer suicides had increased as they did not get an adequate price for their produce and therefore, could not repay their loans.
He said the policies of the government had pushed the country's economy to its "worst ever crisis" and the farmers were faced with a low growth rate and a minus wholesale price index (WPI).
The growth rate in the agriculture sector had reduced to 2.5 per cent from 5 per cent in 2013-14, while the WPI had witnessed a negative growth, the Left leader said, adding, "The WPI in 2013-14 was 11 points. Now, it is minus 4 -- it has fallen from the base."
There was a "massive" farmers' agitation in September and other such protests will also be held, he said.
"This kisan movement is going to increase and our party has decided to extend full support to all such struggles," Yechury added.
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, he said the economy of the country had crumbled in the last three years.
"The price of petrol and diesel, which was reduced by the BJP government a month ago, has gone up again," Yechury added.
He also alleged that there was a bid to cover up the official figure on unemployment.
"What is worst is that Parliament's Estimates Committee took up the issue, because the government was silent on the level of employment for two-three years. But the BJP members in the committee are preventing its chairman, M M Joshi, from presenting the report in Parliament," Yechury said, claiming that this showed how the government was concealing truth.
"Therefore, our party has decided to support the youth march to Parliament on November 3," he said.
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After fake ID crackdown, IRCTC daily new accounts down to 5000 from one lakh: Railways
New Delhi (PTI): With a new, stringent system to establish user identity, the number of new user IDs being added daily on the IRCTC website has declined to about 5,000 from nearly one lakh, officials said on Saturday.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the crackdown by Indian Railways on train ticket booking through fake identities is yielding positive results, according to a press note.
Before the latest reforms, this number had touched nearly one lakh new user IDs per day, it said.
"Following the introduction of a stringent system to establish user identity and detect fake IDs, about 5,000 new user IDs are now being added daily on the IRCTC website," the note said.
The officials stated that these steps have already helped Indian Railways deactivate 3.03 crore fake accounts.
"Another 2.7 crore user IDs have either been temporarily suspended or identified for suspension based on the suspicious activities they are indulging in," they said.
The Union minister directed officials to ensure that the ticketing system is reformed to a level where all travellers are able to book tickets easily through a real and genuine user ID, the press note added.
Additionally, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to provide local cuisine of the region in Vande Bharat trains.
Introducing local cuisine that reflects the culture and tastes of the regions being traversed will significantly enhance the passenger experience, officials said.
This facility will be expanded to all the trains progressively in future, they added.
