Inflation is running in double digits. The major contributors are rising food prices and the high cost of imported crude. Damn, the petrol prices in Bangalore have surged to Rs. 65+, and every time there is a hike in the petrolĀ prices, it creates an inflationary surge for other commodities. The price of petrol has been decontrolled by the government, yet we pay huge taxes, which kills us on both counts. About food inflation, the recent increase in vegetable and fruits prices is putting an additional burden on the already strained household budgets of a common person in India. The prices of lentils and pulses, a staple in India, rose 2-3 times last year and never did come down much. Add to that the increase in prices of essential commodities like edible oil, milk, grains, staple vegetables like onion, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic etc., fruits. There seems to be nothing which is untouched by the huge rise in prices.
I really do not understand what measures the Agriculture Ministry takes to monitor market situations, facilitate smooth flow of goods from one place to another, forecast shortages, prevent hoarding and provide a decent price to the farmers. In most of these price surges, it is the middleman and the hoarder who makes a quick buck and not the poor farmer. We see images of grain rotting due to lack of storage areas. It never strikes the people to give this for free to the poor than to allow it to rot. The government starts crying and blaming the monsoon and everything else except their own incompetence. The Agriculture Minister is busy presiding over cricket events, and Agriculture Ministry seems clueless. We hear inane statements like the demand is increasing and people are becoming wealthier as the cause behind price rise!
With a government ridden with corruption and a lethargic set of people who always try to make some noises in the face of full-blown crises, I show a huge thumbs down to this so-called government for the aam aadmi. Damn, why must we suffer like this? We pay our taxes and live as decent citizens, yet look at what we get in return. I hate it when they throw economic growth rate figures as a measure of progress. A country that cannot give its citizens two decent square meals in a day, clean drinking water, sanitation and basic health facilities should not talk about progress. The entire thinking of our political class is skewed only towards one end — wealth generation for themselves!
What is the way out to deal with this large-scale discontent and mismanagement — street protests?
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Reasons are a number of them.
1-Corruption
2-Future Trading.
3-Spineless Indians.
No one in the establishment cares.because we behave like we have no vocal chords.
it seems establishment is no longer bothered!! i will not call this establishment a government
@BKChowla I want to do something. What should be the way about? Start a group and mobilize people?
@Jon Exactly, this is a government of nincompoops, but when it comes to selfish gains, they become smart as hell.
dont know the reasons but here petrol is 1.31 pounds a litre and when i had come it use to be 70pence.. and its sad to start the car caue you know its gonna dent the pocket …
and in india the problem is NO ONE BOTHERES .. eve nthe common man is so deflated that they say let it be.. cant be asked ..
here in uk when they put the prices up last year every truck in the country stopped and it was chaos for two days … i doubt if in india this will even happen , the day it is announced the politcians will come on ways to divide and save there face..
Its really a pity taht India being such a big country with so many natural resources is still so far behind …
Bikram’s
i m just worried..that day when my grocer gave me the bill…i was about to get a heart attack.i couldnt blv such inflated rates….
i have started utilising things less…but for how long?
Now with this season being so cold..govt will blame further price rise on the weather..crops freeze!
Already orange juice prices here are on the rise..due to freezing temps in florida..etc. it will jack up other prices too!
Same story everywhere.
@Bikram You have a lot of valid points. There is apathy or feelings of hopelessness in the face of corruption and nepotism. One doesn’t know how to change this situation. There are no good parties and no good leaders. And, we just end up getting our money squandered by these politicians and babus.
@rohini Yes Rohini. Now when I buy vegetables and fruits, I hardly get something for 3 days in 500 or 600 Rs. And the grocery bills have shot through the roof. Imagine if we are feeling the pinch, how are the poor coping?
@Gayatri Maybe, it is the same in the US too, didi but it is really a very bad situation in India. Coupled with scams of preposterous proportions being unearthed everyday, it is leading to a lot of disillusionment.
yesterday bought garlic @ 350/kg!!!
And I was like
WHAT THE F@%&!!!!!!\
petrol in hyderbad is 66
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What reflects in the activities of the government is the attitude of the people itself. I can’t blame a particular political party or a government for these probles. Everybody is responsible.
@Bhupesh It is frustrating. The prices just keep going up despite all the noises and so-called measures.
@Tomz I don’t think, we as people are responsible if prices of commodities are going sky high.
Making locla groups who are vocal at such problems may be a part of it, and then being active at the time of elections and choosing the right person is another part.
And then if every individual does his/her own part with ethics, in the long term, this can also change evrything.
We can do nothing, only a miracle can set things right. See how much the media tries to bring out mess, but only more mess is coming out of the mess. Criminals are put to investigate matters, at this rate where can we expect justice?
I think we should be first get rid of all these old ministers and find some way to elect young educated people to run our country.
We are such a rich country, but our corrupt leaders have seen to it that we always remain poor.
We have an apparently good educated and capable PM, but due to some reasons he is forced to act like a dummy.
We have a govt. that is not bothered if somebody claims Kashmir as theirs, or Arunachal Pradesh as theirs, they are all interested in just saving themselves, and don’t care what happens to our country.
We don’t even have a choice in choosing a different party to govern the country, for all of them are just as bad or even worse.
It is sad to see our youngsters leave our country and go and live elsewhere.We don’t even have good roads, good buses, our trains are so dirty, what is happening I can’t understand. Our airports resemble looks like bus stations.
These very things when pointed out by our own people living abroad irritates us for we don’t know how to shut their mouth.
Is this the India that our fore-fathers had struggled to get it for us?
How shameless we have become.
@Renu I don’t know which person to choose any longer? Just see the candidates across all parties — mostly goons or “influential” read corrupt people. I wish that all these could be boycotted. But, how do people like you and me stand for elections? We do not have the required financial power and muscle to bribe voters. The whole electoral process is a sham. This BJP government in Karnataka got a majority and scam after scam are being unearthed. Who was better — JD(S) or Congress in Karnataka — each equally corrupt. So, what do we do? These bloodsucking monsters will never be ethical.
@Rama Your comment is the closest to my heart. I feel the same way. When I read about the honest, upright freedom fighters and good men like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and so on. I wonder how our politicians and babus have ended up becoming so greedy and corrupt. How did this happen in just 60 years? What happened to all the morality and values, which we teach our kids. How has our country descended down this path of anarchy? like you said, only a miracle or a civil revolution on the lines of what is happening in Tunisia can change something.
I don’t think I have as much info or right to comment since..I’m so away from all this happenings in India..But, I can’t stop myself from wondering, how the common class..like maids, labor, and such are managing..Its shocking to know that spending 500-600Rs gets groceries for 3 or less days.
About having the new generation as our rulers..I belonged to the era when the anti mandal movement happened. We, in college, had been so excited when V.P.Singh became the prime minister. He was supposed to belong to the new thought, new generation with progressive ideas and was hoping he’d be taking India forward. But, when he came to power, the only thing that mattered to him was how to fill his vote bank and pockets.
I don’t know, if any leadership, even from the new generation will hold itself from being sucked into these scams. The only thing good about today are the exposing of the scams but, then who can trust all this too. Even journalists are being bought by parties to smudge other parties. maybe, they are choosing what needs to be exposed and who not! almost like gods.
@Gayatri Hi didi. It is shocking, and it is not groceries only fruits and vegetables. Groceries is another story with really high prices of even basics like dal, eggs, bread, rice, wheat etc. My maid says that fruit and meat is a luxury for her. Her sambar keeps getting thinner and the veggies keep reducing. This is the story of all working-class people in India with inflation galloping at unprecedented rates.
You are right about the government. I don’t believe that anyone is clean these days. What differs is the degree of corruption and whether it has been discovered. An upright PM takes no action against corrupt ministers in scams after scams. That does not show him in a very good light. Yes, the media is unearthing scams but with the Niira Radia tapes out even their credibility has a huge question mark. It really is a bad situation from all quarters.
It seems like Government is sleeping…
The ministry is reshuffled in a “NO USE” way…
The condition is becoming worse day by day…
@ Rachna We should do something.
@ rachna Can we do anything?
@sushant There must be something that we can and must do. I am also trying to figure out what.
Actually those who are at the helm of affairs are given to late rising, and when they rise they waste a lot of time to defend their late rising this way and that way. After doing this, they think of solving the issue. They only think of and wait for the things to get solved by itself.This is nothing but the result of official amnesia.
@rachna.a big thumbs down from me too.Oh god 1how do people survive there?65 rs petrol is really too much !why don’t every one organize a hartal?!:)kidding .And I also heard about onion.It’s really amazing!I remember my maid saying “enamma neevu eshtu kammi sambala kotre namma ration ellenda barutte?”If you pay me so less were will my grocery come from?So there is a sense in they too raising their wages.
We are an evolving nation. Inflation is a sign of more demand than supply. When do we have more demand? When people have purchasing power, which is not a bad thing for a poor nation. So we need to work on increasing the supply of all things needed by people, we can start by onions! Our supply chain is in a mess. 40% of produce go waste hence high prices.
Also let us share some of our prosperity. I invite you guys to make a social investment on rangde.org. You can read about the same on my blog http://moneyandus.blogspot.com/2010/08/individual-social-responsibility.html
Some amount of inflation is inevitable.
The place where I work,the price of things had been kept under strict control.But the prices have surged twice or thrice in the last year.It is global effect and the net result of the greed of some nations.
Curtailing corruption is the only way.And not to follow the dictum of other nations blindly.
@raji yes, the overall effect of rising prices from all quarters is a real killer. I am sure that everyone along with the maids is expecting a raise.
@Prasad N Welcome to my blog. Sure, increasing demand is a good thing. What I am against is mismanagement and waste and lack of monitoring and coordination. The government departments are there only in namesake. Why does everyone wake up only when things go beyond control. It is almost 1.5 months, and we are still paying over 65 Kg. a kilo for onions. Do you know that onions kept getting exported even when there was a huge shortage building up internally. What can justify such decisions except poor planning.
@Dr. Antony I don’t think double-digit figures of inflation is some amount and a healthy figure. It is sheer incompetence and lack of planning.