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Ration prices cut in food-for-vote gamble

Buddha plays NTR card OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Calcutta, July 31: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today reduced ration shop prices of rice, pulses and palm oil, a few months after the panchayat and civic poll jolts that possibly prompted the relief voters in southern India are more familiar with. The chief minister, however, told the Assembly that the prices were lowered "to provide relief to people when prices had risen phenomenally because of the Centre's policies. For this, the state government will provide subsidy'.