O P Sharma
opsharmajournalist@gmail.com
Presently, the prices of all essential items of daily life are taking upward trends making the common man (and women) feel hit harshly. The arguments that the trend is world-wide due to the various factors-external and internal-can hardly convince any affected families who are faced with sky-rocketing cost of everyday use items like LPG, petrol, vegetables, medicines and so on coupled with malady of scarcity, adulteration, over-charging. The burden is growing heavier day by day.
The recent upsurge has been due to external conflicts resulting in escalation of energy crisis impacting the overall prices in almost in all countries across the globe. India too is facing the hardship on the price-front confronted with mounting shortages and fault lines on the Price Control Orders and its effective enforcements.
Jammu and Kashmir has its own peculiar problems and so its strategy to tackle this challenging situation has to be suitably tailored to obtain the optimal results by maintaining the supply-line as also control prices of all commodities, especially the basic necessities of life for the common people.
The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah must act swiftly and sternly for ensuring supply as well as holding the price-line and at the same time guarding against profiteering by action against adulteration, especially of all essential items of daily utility. To provide much-needed relief to the consumers in Jammu and Kashmir, the UT Administration must stand up to meet the challenging situation is which hitting hard the common masses, especially during the festive season and all other times.
This matter brooks no delay as the people are being hit-hard by spiralling prices. The inflation, which is a major factor in swing in prices, must be effectively contained through strong fiscal, administrative, price control steps and effective management of supply-demand position. One of the steps is by stream-lining the distribution system and constant on-spot checking of markets by the concern authorities.
The plea that the price-rise is a ‘global phenomenon’ and in a developing economy prices do get pushed up but it hardly convince or satisfy the poor /disadvantaged sections or even the common citizens. Sky-rocketing cost of living, due to price-hike coupled with un-controlled free-play by hoarders or profiteers and black-marketers is a matter of concern. Another serious problem is ‘prevalent adulteration’ which had to be handled with “iron hands” to safeguard the health standard of the masses.
Action-oriented steps
Admittedly, the Government has to initiate some concrete steps to stabilise the prices of the essential commodities but still much more is needed to ensure adequate and quality supply of basic needs by strict regulations and tight controls on all essentials of daily use to “ease un-bearable burdens” on the consumers across Jammu and Kashmir.
In a fast growing economy, while price rise of daily use have to be periodically regulated/controlled, at the same time, purchasing power of common consumers has to be raised, especially of the low or fixed income groups. Jammu and Kashmir has to mainly depend on importing of almost all goods from the country coupled with transport and other overhead charges give push to prices in the far-flung hilly or border areas.
Regarding the prices of essential commodities like food grains, edible oils, pulses and other goods, the prices of vegetables, fruits have to be kept under strict control. The sudden sky-rocketing of few items of daily use create panic in the market by black-marketers which has to be suitably and sternly dealt with to keep the prices at reasonable rates. One way is constant vigil on the price-front and action against adulteration and another step to enforce price control through frequent administrative steps. The price-list of each item should be prominently displayed by the shopkeepers/dealers, as provided in the law.
Serious Situation
It seems that Government has to take a serious view of rising prices and the situation constantly reviewed at the highest level. While some concrete anti-inflationary measures still require to be taken; there is need for suitable mechanism for constantly monitoring the supply-demand position and ensuring availability of all essentials of life at reasonably affordable prices. It is proposed that a high-level and powerful monitoring committee of economists, public men, businessmen, consumers, stakeholders as also from legal and media should be constituted soon and put into action to keep a vigilant eye on the price front.
There is also urgent need to act strongly against those indulging in profiteering and hoarding of essential commodities by the unscrupulous traders out to exploit the situation. The urgency on this account must be realised and a vigorous drive launched to ease the situation on the price front.
Challenging Task
The Central Government in co-ordination with J&K UT Administration must address this challenging task of keeping in check the prices of all commodities, particularly the items of daily use by the common citizens. The prices of fuel, LPG cylinders and other essential items must be pulled down to give relief to the common citizens. The Chief Minister will have to take all possible concrete measures to effectively check the price-level so that common man does not suffer any longer!
The opposition parties have not only to raise this important issue both in the Parliament and Assembly of prices, defective economic policies and other public problems but also work for tangible solutions through mutual co-operation and joint efforts by ruling – opposition parties in public interest.
Production be doubled
It needs to be emphasised that farm, factory and other production should be doubled by reformation and transformation through a suitable re-orientation to its financial and economic policies as also adoption of innovation and new technology. While the Government must deal with iron hands with hoarders and black marketers, the public distribution system has to be further streamlined for supply of essential commodities regularly at reasonable rates.
The nation is facing a challenging situation of rising prices and it has to come forward with solid policy and programmes to deal effectively with it. The tendency to politicise the issue of price-rise must be resisted. Undoubtedly, Jammu and Kashmir mainly imports many items from other parts of the country and the State Government is duty bound to effectively check the prices, quality of products and also quantity of the consumer items.
Punitive Steps
The UT of Jammu and Kashmir has enough laws and regulations to meet the challenge of rising pieces by the enforcement instruments and staff to undertake the job. What is required most is the strong will of the present regime to take stern action.
The J&K Administration has to swing into action to keep a constant eye on price-front and re-activate the Consumer Councils to deal with cases of exorbitant prices or adulteration by taking punitive actions as provided in the law. The economic offenses must be dealt expeditiously in the courts of law to send a congenial environ for speedy justice on the price-front and against adulterators.
It is high time, the economists, agriculture experts, industrialists, businessmen, scientists, administrator, academicians, and politicians pool their energies to devise a suitable strategy for pulling the consumers out of this serious situation. The Omar Abdullah Government must sincerely initiate steps on result-oriented Action Plan to bring down the prices to a reasonable level for the sake of common man.
(The author is a Jammu-based journalist & social activist.)
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