Latest from Jairam: American lifestyle ‘recipe for disaster’

“I do believe that if we replicate the American model (of living),which the Chinese incidentally are embracing,it’s a sure recipe for disaster,not just for India

but for the rest of the world as well,” Ramesh told reporters here.

The comments are the latest in a series of seemingly anti-rich remarks that the minister has been making in recent times.

He had earlier spoken out against illegally-built ‘five-star’ residences along Goa coastline,saying he was willing to find a way out for fishermen colonies that were in violation of coastal laws but would certainly act against extravagant houses of super-rich that do not conform to laws.

Earlier this month,he criticised sports utility vehicles (SUVs),saying they had become the unintended beneficiary of government’s subsidies on diesel and that it was “criminal” to use such vehicles in India,which was short on energy and was witnessing a rapid rise in its greenhouse gas emission.

Ramesh reiterated those comments on Thursday,saying the government should indeed relook its fuel pricing policy so that the benefits intended for farmers were not cornered by big businesses such as auto manufacturers.

“The point that I have been making is that the diesel subsidy the government provides is meant to serve a social purpose. It is intended to benefit the farmers. But it is indirectly also benefitting big car companies. In that way,the benefits of these subsidies are getting misdirected. This needs to be corrected,” he said.

“I know a lot of powerful people,including those

in media and politics,use such vehicles. They do not exactly fall in the target groups which is intended to benefit from the diesel subsidy,” he said.