Release more sugar for festive season: BJP

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday asked the government to release more sugar for the festive season to forestall artificial shortages that lead to inflated prices in the market.

'It is because of the new policy of the United Progressive Alliance government that sugar quota is released for three to six months, as opposed to monthly release of quota. This creates an artificial shortage and inflates prices,' BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

'We ask for immediate release of sugar quota from the buffer stock for the festive season,' Javadekar added.

He pointed out that the government had earlier announced that it would release 600,000 tonnes of sugar but did not specify when it would do so.

The festive season has already started in India with Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated Thursday and Duashera, Durga Puja and Diwali set to follow during this month.