Steep fuel price hike weighs heavy on common man's pocket

Strap: Have to shell out more on items of daily use

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 25

Fuel prices reached a new all-time high as petrol was sold at Rs 87.43 and diesel at Rs 78.17 in the market on Sunday after rates were hiked recently. High fuel prices triggered a rise in the cost of other commodities of daily use.

Citing the rise as unjust, residents expressed their resentment for the government which has failed to rein in galloping inflation. Highest ever petrol and diesel prices were followed by hike in grocery items, cooking oils, construction material such as iron and steel. Residents have expressed a concern over the rising expenses as their income has already taken a hit after the Covid outbreak.

Navpreet Singh, working in a multinational company, said, his income was reduced by 25 per cent after the unlocking of the lockdown. However, his everyday expenses have been witnessing a rise every week. He said the petrol was priced at Rs 85.45 a litre in Delhi but they were forced to shell out more as the state government levies more taxes. He said despite paying hefty amounts of tax already, a common man is being made to pay tax on each item procured from the market, separately.

Ravinder Sultanwind, a social worker, said it is difficult for a common man to lodge protests. Opposition at the Centre has neither raised its voice nor held a protest to wake up the government on this matter. While corporate houses are being feted by giving relaxation in taxes and other cash support during the lockdown, people were burdened with hike in prices of mustard oil, vegetable, refined oils, cereals and pulses.

The essential items, contributing to the food basket, recorded a rise ranging from 10 to 30 percent in the recent past.

Cooking oil is being sold between Rs 130 to Rs 140 per litre. Similarly, the prices of other cooking oils, including soya, rice bran, palm, cotton seed, vegetable increased by 20 to 30 percent.

Spiraling prices of several food items have aggravated the problem for people belonging to lower income groups who are not covered under any welfare schemes.

Omkar Goyal, President of All India Retailers Federation, said: there was no plausible reason for such a price rise. He stated that the authorities have been devising policies in the favour of a few business houses. Government has failed to make efforts to check black marketing, he added.