By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Congress-led UPA government’s recent fuel price hike has earned adverse reaction from a cross section of the society.
The price of diesel went up by Rs 3 per litre, kerosene by Rs 2. But what has hit consumers the hardest is the sudden hike of LPG prices by Rs 50 per cylinder, as the government tried to ease its subsidy burden but indirectly adding to the inflationary trends.
A fast food seller in busy Khyndailad area said it was a shock for him when he came to know about the fuel price hike. “With cylinders now costlier by Rs 50, it has become difficult for us to manage our daily households,” he said.
Many middle class families of Shillong lambasted the union government. They said it has become a habit of the UPA government to increase the cost of essential commodities and fuel price every now and again. This, they said, has hit the commoners hard.
“The UPA government hardly thinks about the aam aadmi. We are living in a food inflation regime and now with this fuel price hike, I might have to stop cooking,” said a housewife who is struggling to make her ends meet.
Many residents and daily wage earners in the city have demanded a rollback in the fuel prices. “The government is no longer an aam admi government,” they opined.
Prof B Mishra, HoD, Economics, NEHU said, “I don’t understand why the government is in a rush to hike the prices of fuel since they could have waited for another six months to a year. The hike will boost inflation and the common man will suffer since the hike in diesel and LPG rates will increase the rate of essential commodities and I assume the rate of inflation will increase by another 2 to 3 %.”
Dipayan Chakraborty, general secretary, BJP said this has been the trend in the UPA government. This will push up the prices of essential commodities. “Kerosine and LPG are both used for cooking. The hike in their prices will hit the aam admi below the belt. People must now understand what the Congress party means by the term aam admi,” he said. He further added that the State Government is not serious about these commoners’ issues since there is no leader to address them. “All leaders in the State are only interested in musical chairs,” he said.
Gas agencies charging new rates: Meanwhile, gas agencies in the town have started charging customers the new rate for LPG. A resident of Zigzag area of Rilbong said he has been charged Rs 433 plus Rs 7 extra, i.e. Rs 440 for a cylinder. Customers from other areas of Shillong also paid the hiked amount.
Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, J Lyngdoh said he was not aware that LPG dealers are already charging the new rates but said he would look into the matter. On asking that how a gas agency could start charging the new rates just from the television news, the DC said generally the central government notifies the state government, which in turn notifies the respective gas agencies after which, the new rate comes into force.
The DC also said any move to reduce the price of domestic LPG cylinder, similar to that of West Bengal, will have to be initiated by the Food and Civil Supplies Department.