Middle Class With Wings On Rice Prices.. Ap Govt Not Paying Attention
In AP, the price of rice has risen, but the government is looking at it. Everyday changes in the prices of essential commodities make the common man nervous.
In AP, the price of rice has risen, but the government is looking at it. Everyday changes in the prices of essential commodities make the common man nervous. The burden on the wage earners and the middle class people is increasing but the government is not taking any steps to control the prices. Even though the prices of food items have risen to a ten-year high, they are hesitating to take minimal measures in terms of control.
Michaung Cyclone had badly damaged the grain production in AP last year at the time of harvest of Kharif season. With this the millers colluded and started an artificial shortage even though there was sufficient stock in the warehouses. Although the government and authorities know about this, they act as if they do not care about price control. If the traders blame the price hike on the millers, they say that the millers are increasing the prices on orders from above. Reasonable reasons are not found as to why these prices have gone up.
Rice prices are increasing day by day. The price of quality rice in the retail market is close to Rs.70 per kg. As the government does not control the prices of these, common people are reeling with the increased prices. During the year, the price per kg in the wholesale market increased by Rs.15-20 per kg depending on the quality.
Millers and traders are complaining that due to last year's Cyclone Michoung the yield of paddy has decreased and the prices have increased due to lack of supply of grain.
Last year Sona Mussoorie was between Rs.44-50 per kg, now the minimum price is Rs.60. If BPT was Rs.40, now it is Rs.56. HMT stream increased from Rs.44 to Rs.61 and BPT stream from Rs.38 to Rs.50. If the prices are like this in the wholesale market, the prices have been increased further in the retail market. They are charging more than Rs. 70 per kg.
It is nowhere to be seen in practice, except in the Bharat Brand campaign recently launched by the central government to control the prices of food products. Despite the announcement that they will provide quality rice to the people at a low price, their sales are not much seen in AP.
The state government is not taking the initiative even though the burden on the people can be reduced if Bharat brand rice is made available in towns and villages. According to the figures, the government is providing rice to more than 87 percent of one and a half crore families in the state through rice cards. It is spending about Rs.40 per kg from the purchase of this rice to reach the people.
Buying quality grain directly from farmers will cost almost the same. The real problem for the increase in rice prices seems to be the intervention of brokers and millers. It is strange that the ministers of the concerned departments have not responded even once in Andhra Pradesh despite the increase in prices for the last three months
Sources
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