Steep price rise of essentials hit Ramzan fervor: Dr Kamal
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Additional General Secretary, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, on Saturday said that the abject failure of the government in ensuring hassle-free utility services has dampened the Ramzan spirit of the people.
In a statement released from the party headquarters Kamal, said, “Unfortunately, the administration has left the people to fend for themselves. It was expected of the administration to rise up to the demands of the people by ensuring them all basic and effective amenities. But the administration seems to have no compassion for the people who continue to hanker for basic and effective amenities.”
“Implementation of NFSA had adversely affected lakhs of APL and BPL consumers in the state. Curtailment of the ration has further burdened the poor. The ambiguous categorization of consumer enrolment undertaken by the governments since 2015 has made it difficult for the people to have two decent square meals a day,” he said.
Kamal said that during the holy month of Ramzan, there is an exponential increase in the demands of people, especially for sugar. “It was expected of the incumbent governor administration to rise up to the occasion and increase the quota of ration especially sugar during the month of Ramazan, but to our dismay, nothing was done in that direction as well.”
“The ineptitude that has beset the administration is an outcome of the lingering undemocratic rule. People are ambiguous as to where they should turn to for help. The steep rise of Ramzan-specific condiments, mutton, chicken, and other edibles has hit the Ramzan fervor. The administration is sitting on its hands doing nothing to mitigate the sufferings of consumers. The inflationary pull has eaten at people’s savings. The administration has failed to take steps to ensure steady water and electricity supply to people,” Kamaal said.
“Concerned agencies have failed to address issues faced by people. Ideally, all the line departments including PDD, PWD, FCSC, and concerned corporations and municipalities should have been instructed to work in tandem. There is no synchronization of efforts on their part. The administration is invisible on the ground,” he said.
Traders in several parts of Kashmir have allegedly started selling essential commodities at exorbitant rates. The move has left the consumers at the receiving end as the checking squads of the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) department are missing from the field in various districts. “There is no fixed rate list for green vegetables and other eatables with shopkeepers as the rates vary on a day-to-day basis,” the aggrieved visiting delegations said.
