CHENNAI: The political fallout of the State government’s decision to increase Aavin’s procurement price and retail cost continued on Sunday, with the DMK and DMDK announcing protests on the issue. MDMK chief Vaiko too threw his hat in the ring and suggested higher subsidies to milk producers as a method of saving Aavin from financially dire circumstances.
DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi said his party would hold protests across the State on November 3. The protests would not only be against the Aavin milk price hike, but also other issues such as the power tariff hike proposed to the government by the Tamil Nadu Energy Regulatory Commission and the allegation that the government had not announced relief measures for those affected by the recent heavy rains as a result of the Northeast monsoon.
DMDK chieftain Vijayakant issued a statement on the issue a day after most of his political counterparts in demanding that the government roll back the hike. He announced that he would organise protests on Tuesday to press the government.
MDMK chief Vaiko was another late entrant to the bandwagon against the hike in the price of Aavin milk.
“The government could save Aavin from financial ruin by subsidising milk producers further, increasing the procurement price and by rooting out organisational losses,” he suggested.
While nearly all political parties not allied with the AIADMK criticised the government’s decision to hike the retail price of Aavin milk by Rs 10 perlitre, the move has been welcomed by bodies representing milk producers, as it has come in tandem with an increase in the procurement price to be paid by the state-owned milk co-operative. The increase, however, is unlikely to make much of an impact on the ground, with Aavin accounting for only about 15 per cent of the total milk sold in the State. Close to half of all the milk sold in Tamil Nadu is sold directly to consumers by local vendors, while about 35 per cent is accounted for by private companies.