Centre makes holes in common man's coffers

The Centre’s lastnight decision to cap the cooking gas supply to households at six cylinders per annum forcing people to buy domestic gas at Rs. 750 per cylinder from the seventh one has come as a major blow to the common populace who are already burdened with a high inflation rate.

The cascading effect of the decision that also upped the diesel rate by Rs.5 per litre will be monumental as the transportation costs of goods will increase multifold across the country and the common man will have to bear the crux of the burden.

Commoners have been already reeling under the pressure with the prices of various commodities going sky-high while their income levels are almost static or witnessing a little upward trend.

The Centre’s decision to up the prices of diesel and cap the subsidized cooking gas supply is also against the wishes of the UPA allies. DMK chief Karunanidhi and Trinamool Congress chief Mamatha Banerjee described the hike as unwarranted. Even Sharad Pawar’s NCP also opposed the hike.

Calling the decision as anti-people, Mamata went a step ahead and threatened to withdraw support to the Government if the hike was not immediately withdrawn.

The government’s argument that cooking gas fuel and diesel prices are not revised since June 2011 is untenable as high levels of inflation have been making bigger holes in the coffers of the common man.

The Congress-headed UPA government has already suffered a major blow to its reputation across the country with its rapt inaction on issues that demanded quick decisions and wrong doings on issues that needed sensitive handling.

The government seems to be insensitive to the people’s priorities and a government that cares too hoots for people’s problems has no moral right to continue in power. Is the UPA-2 listening?