THE prices of different varieties of rice continued to rise in the city’s kitchen markets during the last week. Due to the supply shortage of boro paddy as the crop was harvested in May-June last year, the shortage contributed to the rise of price. All the prices of the kitchen items, including fish and meat, winter vegetables, edible oil and sugar have soared in the week. Due to the soaring price of each and every goods and service along with the pinching tax and VAT pressure, the fixed-income group people’s purchasing capacity is being wiped out which has resulted in poor quality food consumption and nutrition. The government has made mountainous promises but big infrastructure development and unbridled corruption are incapable to protect the interests of common people. Many are finding it hard to maintain their family budgets due to the rise in prices of several essentials. The abnormal price hike of daily necessaries hits worst the people from the lower rung of the social ladder. The brunt of spiralling prices of essentials and inflated costs of living are being borne by millions in the low- and fixed-income group.
People’s hopes are being dashed by the ongoing market conditions. As their income has not increased pro-rata, the gap between income and expenditure has widened so much that the consumers cannot keep up with the price hikes. This year the monthly cost of necessary commodities for a small family has shot up to such an extent that the average citizen finds it difficult to bear. As a result, the fixed income bracket people have started to drastically ration their foodstuff. Prices of daily necessary commodities have now gone beyond the purchasing power of the masses.
Our problem is we do not have a government which feels that it needs to be accountable. As a result what is right for the people is not always followed by the administration.
