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| Price rise ghost to haunt people in J & K | | | Whenever prices of petrol,diesel and cooking gas are hiked the economy of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and its people gets immediately affected.The common people in Jammu and Kashmir,particularly those belonging to the valley,have invariably resisted any cultural,social or political aggression from India.People in the valley invariably use the sword of Article 370 of the constitution of India,that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian union,for thwarting attempts by politicians,social activists or even by those spearheading a campaign against corruption at extending their political philosophy or social reforms or their campaign against corruption to the state.People in the valley rise like a fortress preventing cultural,social or political waves from entering into Kashmir.Even Anna Hazare's breezy movement against corruption had failed to set the river Jehlum on fire.The Aam Admi party floated by Arvind Kejriwal has not set up its unit in Kashmir because of poor response to Kejriwal's roar against corruption.There are only two things that people in Kashmir cannot stop from sneaking into the valley.The first being inflation and the second the flow of funds from New Delhi to Srinagar.People and politicians usually await those who matter in Delhi for sanctioning liberal central financial assistance to the state that stands ravaged and plundered during the 22-year long militancy related violence.
As far as inflation in most of the consumer items besides eatables is concerned Jammu and Kashmir cannot escape from experiencing the pinch of price rise.With peoples' growing dependence on petrol,diesel and cooking gas even a small hike in the prices of these items lead to upsetting the kitchen budget of several lakh families in Jammu and Kashmir.Price rise in India has become not an annual but a monthly phenomenon because of rise in prices of most of the consumer goods besides scores of eatables. What has added to the discomfort and anger among people of the country,including over one crore people in Jammu and Kashmir,is the intermittent price rise in diesel,petrol,cooking gas besides foodgrains,edible oils,fruits,vegetables,milk and milk products,mutton,eggs,chicken besides a range of medicines.One is no longer interested in examining the price line of various eatables fixed by the Government because prices keep on rising and there has never been any occasion,during the last 20 years or so,when people felt thrilled and amazed while experiencing major decline in the retail and wholesale prices of consumer items.Once prices shoot they show no signs of any decline.Yes,consumer items suffer price fluctuations but most of the items of daily use in households register fluctuations but never has there been a major drop in the price structure.Name any consumer items the seller would surprise you by showing the latest price list indicating an increase by 15 to 35 per cent during the last two decades.In some luxury items the price line has registered a big jump.
Since Jammu and Kashmir is a consumer state where people bank on the import of over 90 per cent items required for daily use and consumption they are prone to suffer a heavier price rise blow than those living in other parts of the country.Right from pins,to allopathic pills,from medicines to milk and milk products,from edible oils to hair oils,from series of foodgrain items to furnitures and furnishings,from mutton to mushrooms,from garments to grocery items,from power to processed milk,butter,from fast foods to funny toys,from petrol to petroleum products,from liquor to beer,from soft drinks to dairy items,from cooking gas to diesel and series of other consumer goods the state has been banking on the import of all these items.Hence people know that increase in the prices of diesel and petrol was bound to have adverse and a bigger impact on the domestic budget of people in Jammu and Kashmir..And the latest rise in the prices of cooking gas,diesel and petrol indicates that the price structure of these three items has registered 50 per cent rise during the last one decade.
Government argues that increase in the prices of petrol and petroleum products is governed by the level of international prices as India has to bank on heavy import of fuel oils forcing the Government to spend several thousand crores of rupees by way of subsidising prices.There is only alternative.The Government should further encourage private investment in oil extraction within the country and let an expert committee be framed for a fresh survey on oilfields within the country and on coal deposits that can help the country to build thermal power stations and reduce import of petrol and petroleum products.Let the Government initiate measures which could prevent the ghost of inflation in consumer items including medicines from haunting people.
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