Price Hike of Essential Commodities and Misery of Common People

 

     Prices of essential commodities have been skyrocketing for the last few months and this situation has made the life of common people miserable. When many people have become jobless due to lockdown , the price hike has increased their burden. The people have no other option but to purchase these essential commodities at high prices.
      Since the beginning of the pandemic , the common people have been affected badly. The second wave of the pandemic also did not spare them. The pandemic has increased the poverty rate not only in India but also all over the world. Many people are not able to buy their needs and they are living their lives without proper nutrients.
      The consumer price index(CPI), Inflation on retail food items have been increasing rapidly. All our essential commodities including refined oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, vegetables, egg, chicken, Morton etc. have become out of reach of poor citizens . The price of mustard oil is Rs. 170-190 per litre, refind oil is Rs. 160-170 per litre. The price of household LPG gas is Rs. 862 in Kolkata. Price of petrol and diesel has set a new record of all time. Price of petrol was Rs.100.72 per litre and diesel Rs.92.69 per litre in Mumbai on 2nd june.

      In 2014 LPG gas was Rs. 430 per cylinder, now the price has been doubled. The Public Distribution System (PDS) alone can't wither away the misery of poor as rice and wheat can't be the lone requirements of life.
      Prices of these necessary items have been increasing gradually for past few months. But the government is pretending not to see these problems. They have no intention to cut down the price. Instead the government has increased the tax on fuel several times. The government linked the price hike with the increase of International Crude Oil price. But this logic seems void, because when the International crude oil price came down in 2020 due to low demand, Indians had to pay higher price. The price never came down in India. So, this is not the only reason behind the hike. Taxes on fuel is extremely high in India. Tax on fuel is more than 60% including central and state tax.
      Nowadays it seems that all other problems in India have vanished since the covid-19 pandemic entered in India. Central and state governments are busy to fight against corona as it is the only enemy right now. They are busy how to provide vaccines to all Indians. But the government must realise that india needs Hunger Vaccine. Hunger is taking away the lives of people more than covid-19.
      So in this situation the government must take necessary steps to reduce the prices of essential commodities or they should help the common people on some other ways other than PDS. If these steps are not taken then hunger will be taking lives of many innocent Indians like a "Silent Killer".