Ramadan price hike
It has become a regular phenomenon that prices of essential commodities shoot up with the commencement of Ramadan. The administration makes routine commitment of keeping the price level stable but fails utterly to fulfill it. As a result, consumers have to bear the brunt of soaring prices throughout the whole month. People from the poorer section of the society suffer the most.
There is no valid reason behind this sudden increase in price. The government has repeatedly assured that there are adequate stocks of essential commodities. But on the ground there is gross mismatch between prices prescribed by the government and actual prices. In the city market traders largely ignore the city corporation's price charts. These clearly indicate to the weakness of our market monitoring system as well as to enforce orders. There are syndicates who horde and manipulate the market following increased demand of commodities during Ramadan. The government has held numerous meetings with the business leaders to stop such unethical practices. But it fails to rein in these price hikes.
Against this background, the government should take tougher stand against the unscrupulous traders. It should enhance vigilance in the markets. The market monitoring teams should be empowered with adequate manpower and resources. The business community should also imbibe in them the spirit of Ramadan and assist the government to keep the price of essential commodities affordable.
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