The reduction in fuel prices has though brought a much awaited relied to the people of the country including the hapless populations of Jammu & Kashmir in a scenario of increasing stress on economy and livelihoods of the people. Whatever may have prompted the centre and as well the J&K Government to reduce the excise duty and VAT on petrol and diesel, the fact remains that cuts in taxes on petrol and diesel have released the increasing pressure on the household budgets across the country. Now what concerns the people is the stability of the fuel prices at the reduced rates for about next two years. Though sharp rise in the crude oil prices in the international market is cited a reason for sharp rise in the prices of petrol and diesel in India but the fact remains that crude oil prices in the international marked had also witnessed sharp rise in the last two years of Manmohan Singh led UPA-II rule in the country and what matters for the government at the centre and as well as the Government in Jammu & Kashmir is strict control over prices of essential commodities in a scenario of covid stress, increasing joblessness and intensifying economic stress . Keeping in view the fact that people living the below the poverty line and populations struggling for joblessness are already struggling hard for access to basic human needs due to covid triggered economic stress, the control over the prices of essential commodities of life is as unavoidable as is the containment of the covid spread in Kashmir due to it’s vulnerability to road transport services during winter months. What concerns the common man in Jammu & Kashmir lie people of other parts of the country is the unprecedented surge in the prices of edible oil and some other essential commodities even after cut in taxes on prices of petrol and diesel.
In Kashmir the control over prices of essentials is as crucial as is the stability of petrol and diesel prices at the reduced rates and keeping in view the bearing of price control over essential commodities on the daily human needs of people during chilly months of winter the weekly review meetings over the control of prices on essential commodities and stock position of essentials by the top brass of the government is unavoidable and as well as inevitable.
As stock and supply position due to increasing intensity of hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities during chilly months of winter always remains a major issue of concern in Kashmir because of the frequent suspension of transport services on Kashmir high way the only surface link connecting valley with the rest of the country, the extra vigil over the retail prices on essential commodities demands a non-stop supervision of the administrative top brass of the J&K Government in the forthcoming chilly months of winter. In Kashmir issue is not just of control over retail prices of essential commodities but also of a non stop vigil over stockists and general order suppliers who on their own increase the prices of essentials supplied to Kashmir during the chilly months of winter. So in Kashmir the control over prices of essentials is as crucial as is the stability of petrol and diesel prices at the reduced rates and keeping in view the bearing of price control over essential commodities on the daily human needs of people during chilly months of winter the weekly review meetings over the control of prices on essential commodities and stock position of essentials by the top brass of the government is unavoidable and as well as inevitable
