The Meghalaya Supply Minister, Mr D.D. Lapang, has said that the prices of essential commodities in Shillong compared “favourably” with those prevailing in Gauhati. Those items which sold at “marginally” higher price in Shillong owed it to the additional transport cost.
Mr Lapang was clarifying the issue of price-rise to a delegation of Tribal Women’s Welfare And Development Association (TWWADM) here on January 2. The delegation brought to the attention of the Minister the hardships of the common people following the steep rise in price of rice, vegetables, meat and other items of daily use. Mr Lapang explained that in so far as price of beef, pork, mutton and fish were concerned, it was not possible to control the price, since these items were being dealt with by individual traders and the sources of supply being indeterminate and variable.
The TWWADM delegation pointed out that Tamilnadu and some states had made satisfactory arrangements in making these items available to the people in organised way. They urged the Government to adopt similar steps in Meghalaya. Mr Lapang assured them of examining the proposal.