Bengaluru, Oct 29 (IANS) Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Thursday accused the state government of placing an additional financial burden on the people through repeated milk price hikes and said the proposed increase would make life more difficult for the poor and middle-class families. He also warned the Congress government of a protest if it proceeded with the hike.
It can be noted that the Karnataka government earlier in the day announced an Rs 8 per litre hike in milk prices, effective November 1, with Rs 7 of the increase going to farmers and Rs 1 to milk unions. The price paid to farmers will rise from Rs 35 to Rs 42 per litre and, including the existing government subsidy of Rs 5, they will receive Rs 47 per litre.
Ashoka questioned whether increasing the cost of essential commodities and imposing additional taxes was the Congress government’s guarantee to the people of Karnataka. He said that while ordinary people were already struggling with rising prices, the government appeared focused on further burdening their pockets.
Accusing the Congress government of making people’s lives more expensive despite promising to improve their living conditions, Ashoka demanded that it immediately withdraw proposals that would increase the burden on poor and middle-class families.
He warned that the BJP would take to the streets and launch a protest against what he termed anti-people policies if the government proceeded with the proposed increases.
Addressing Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Ashoka asked whether the government’s series of milk price hikes had not ended, alleging that it was now preparing for another round of increases.
Pointing to the previous revisions in Nandini milk prices, he said the government had increased the price by Rs 3 in July 2023, Rs 2 in June 2024 and Rs 4 in March 2025. The government was now considering a further increase of Rs 8, he alleged.
Ashoka said the cumulative increase would reach Rs 17 if the proposed hike was implemented in full, raising the price of Nandini toned milk from Rs 46 to Rs 54.
He also expressed concern over discussions about increasing bus fares operated by state transport corporations, including the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).
He questioned whether the government intended to burden everyone, from children who consumed milk daily to ordinary people who depended on buses to commute to work.
Comparing the proposed increases to pouring ghee on a burning fire, Ashoka said imposing additional costs on people already struggling with rising prices of essential commodities was contrary to the principles of public welfare.
He urged the government to explain its financial management before citing the interests of farmers and the losses incurred by transport corporations as reasons for increasing prices.
–IANS
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