Mamata slams Centre’s 50% medicine price hike, urges PM to reconsider ‘anti-people move’

MP, 22 Oct 2024, Kolkata: In a strong critique of the Centre’s policies, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, wrote to Prime Minister Modi, condemning the 50 per cent increase in the prices of essential medicines.

She dubbed the price hike ‘Centre’s anti-people move that will ‘inflict hardship’ upon common people.

She urged the PM to reconsider the decision, emphasising that these drugs are vital for treating life-threatening conditions like tuberculosis, asthma and thalassemia. Banerjee called the price hike a significant setback for public welfare, stating that it places an undue burden on the common people, particularly those already struggling with the rising cost of living and healthcare.

She expressed concern over the impact on public welfare, noting that such an escalation would strain state budgets, especially for states like Bengal, which provide free healthcare.

Banerjee stressed that the common people, already burdened by rising costs, would suffer further due to this price increase.

She urged the PM to direct the concerned ministry to reconsider the price hike in the interest of public health and wellbeing.

Earlier on Saturday, Banerjee claimed that the Centre’s likely decision to exempt GST on term life insurance premiums and premiums paid by senior citizens for health coverage is the result of sustained efforts by the state government. She said the Central government appears to be “under pressure” to cut taxes to benefit the common people.

“Our sustained efforts appear to be paying dividends – the central government looks like it is being further pressured into finally succumbing to our demands to withdraw/modify the unjust 18 per cent GST on health and life insurance products/policies,” Banerjee wrote on X on Saturday.

The Chief Minister, while sharing a copy of a letter she had written to the Union Finance minister in August, said: “I had personally written to the Union Finance minister, warning how their decision to keep 18 per cent GST on health and medical insurances would deter vulnerable individuals from securing or maintaining their insurance coverage.”