No checks on recently hiked mutton prices by Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCA&CA) Department has unfortunately emboldened the mutton retailers to sell mutton at the rate of Rs 650/- per Kg instead of Rs 600/- per Kg the rate recently fixed by the Government . Unfortunately Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCA&CA) Department in an unprecedented move compromised the recent promise of being more strict against retailers illegally selling meat at higher prices with the fixation of retail price at Rs 600/- per Kg instead of previous retail rate of Rs 550/- Per Kg. Though Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCA&CA) Department after prolonging the discussions with muttons dealers for about a month imposed the new retail rate of mutton at Rs 600/- per Kg but barely a week after the announcement of retail rate for mutton at Rs 600/- Per Kg the mutton retailers are yet again illegally selling meat at Rs 650/ – Per Kg which means an illegal hike of Rs 50/- by mutton retailers. Morality and administrative ethics demands that Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCA&CA) Department should have been more strict in regulating the mutton price after hiking it by Rs 50/- at the cost of gullible consumers but unfortunately no flying squads move in the markets for regulation the new retail price of mutton at Rs 600/per Kg. Counting FIRs against the retailers just to create an impression about strict regulation of mutton prices won’t bring any respite and relief to the consumers in urban or rural parts of Jammu & Kashmir but a strict action against the mutton retailers for selling mutton even a single paisa over and above Rs600/- per Kg the Government’s hiked mutton rate would bring relief and respite to the consumers both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Unfortunately Government seriously reviews the prices of mutton year after year merely on the claims of the mutton dealers who beg for hikes in prices with the contention that they cannot survive with FCS &CA prescribed prices but the concerns of consumers are never ever taken as much serious as they should have been taken.
“While a long-term solution on mutton supply, distribution and pricing deserves the immediate attention and intervention of the Government, the pressing issue is the immediate response of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS& CA) Department to the demands of consumers against retailers illegally selling meat at higher prices after the fixation of retail price at Rs 600/- per Kg instead of previous retail rate of Rs 550/- Per Kg. Never forget that action speaks louder than words and the onus of implementing the hiked mutton price at Rs 600/- per Kg lies on none else than Director Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS& CA) Department Kashmir, none else”.
Administrative wisdom demands that Government strikes a balance between the reasonability behind the claims and demands of mutton dealers and the concerns of consumers. Accommodation and adjustment of the concerns of both the mutton dealers and as well as the consumers could be the most suitable way of addressing several factors which go unnoticed while fixing mutton rates. While a long-term solution on mutton supply, distribution and pricing deserves the immediate attention and intervention of the Government, the pressing issue is the immediate response of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS& CA) Department to the demands of consumers against retailers illegally selling meat at higher prices after the fixation of retail price at Rs 600/- per Kg instead of previous retail rate of Rs 550/- Per Kg. Never forget that action speaks louder than words and the onus of implementing the hiked mutton price at Rs 600/- per Kg lies on none else than Director Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS& CA) Department Kashmir, none else.
