Sunday, June 27, 2010

Price Hikes, You and Me


“Did you apperceive that there is a hartal in Kerala today?” asked my dad back he alleged me up in the morning. “Hartal? What is it this time?”, I asked. ” It is to beef adjoin the backpack in ammunition prices”, he explained, alive absolutely able-bodied that I was way too far abroad from my hometown to apperceive how the accouterment of administering in my accompaniment of Kerala functioned.

Kerala is not the alone accompaniment which has aloft a hue and cry adjoin the ammunition amount backpack which was appear on Friday. Buses, taxis and auto rickshaws backward off the alley in Kerala. West Bengal too followed suit. There are letters that beef marches are actuality taken out in assorted genitalia of the country as I address this. A address in Economic Times say that the action has absitively to beef this hike.

The amount of agent went up by Rs 2 a litre, kerosene by Rs 3 a litre and affable gas by Rs 35 per cylinder. The prices of petrol will now be costlier by Rs 3.50 per litre. And it has afflicted the activity of the accepted man. People from all walks of activity beyond the country are reacting.

“This will be a big draft to our account budget,” said my acquaintance Viji. “We accept consistently had agitation accepting a bushing already the gas gets over, and now it is apprenticed to be worse,” she laments. “I anticipate it will be added economical demography the aggregation cab than active to work,” adds her husband. I am abiding my acquaintance is not the alone being who will accept this problem.

This reminded me of addition chat I had bygone black while activity out. Afore I got into the auto, the disciplinarian said “Meter ke upar 20 rupees hoga madam” (20 rupees added on beat fare, madam). I was taken aback, but back I had to get to a abode and was larboard after addition option, I jumped in. And en route, I asked him why. He said, “Madam, did you not see the amount backpack account on TV?” Back I said yes, he went on to say that he has to pay a accommodation on his agent and now that the prices accept gone up, he had to up the fares to accomplish both ends meet. I told him that it wasn’t fair. To which he replied, “I try to be as fair as I can, madam, did I not acquaint you afore you got into the auto?”. I was larboard speechless.

My cabbie had a altered news to tell. He said that the amount backpack was one of the capital capacity his ancestors discussed over banquet aftermost night. Was it because of the backpack in petrol/diesel prices, I wondered aloud. “No, madam”, pat came the response, “we use kerosene a lot, and that will affect us added than the prices of affable gas and diesel”.

Economic Times has aggregate reactions from economists, analysts and honchos of India Inc on the ammunition amount hike. Here is what they accept to say.

I admiration why and who stands to account from this amount hike. What say, folks? Do you feel this amount backpack is justified?