LOOTING THE GENERAL PUBLIC. GOVT. PLEASE ACT.
There is no control on the prices. The sellers are operating in a sort of cartel and have jacked up prices of everything, unjustifiably. There is unprecedented trebling and quadrupling of prices by the sellers, taking advantage of temporary shortages. The prices have not been reduced even when the shortages have reduced or vanished.
1) A simple vada-pav now costs minimum Rs.12/- even at roadside stalls.
2) Two pcs of batata-vada at any restaurant cost atleast Rs.50/-i.e Rs.25/- apiece.
3) Cost of samosa is Rs.12/-to Rs.15/- or even Rs.20/- at roadside stalls.
4) Idli-sambhar @ Rs.50/- atleast.
5) Masala dosa and puri-bhaji cost Rs.70/- minimum.
6) Pav-bhaji costs atleast Rs.70/- with the roadside stalls and minimum Rs.100/-at any restaurant.
7) A South Indian standard meal-thali , at any normal restaurant costs minimum Rs.110/-, eventhough the number of items, quality, and quantity are now reduced.
8) Tea at any restaurant is minimum Rs.20/- and at roadside tea stalls it is Rs.15/- If you make a bit of calculations, tea is being sold @ Rs.200/- to Rs.300/- per litre.
9) A cup of coffee at any restaurant is @ Rs.30/- minimum, i.e Rs.300/- to Rs.400 per litre.
10) Simple salted peanuts sold by roadside vendors are sold in small potions of Rs.5/- to Rs.10/- per potion, which works out to Rs.400/- per kg. This is comparable to the price of badam and kaju.
11) 25 gms. of plain potato chips costs Rs.10/- i.e potato sold @ Rs.300/- to Rs. 400/- per kg.
12) 1 litre of water bottle costs Rs.20/- at any shop and Rs.15/- at railway stalls.
13) Pulses cost average Rs.100/- a kg.
14) Vegetables is average Rs.80/- a kg.
15) Mithaiwalas are on a spree. The simplest and cheapest mithai is Rs.400/- per kg. The normal average mithais, which any one consumes averages cost of Rs.600/- to Rs.700/- per kg. The ones with exotic names are above Rs.1000/- per kg. Is this justified in any way ?
16) Farsan, namkeens etc. average cost is Rs.300-400/- per kg. Is it justified ?
17) A glass (well tapered bottom glass) of simple standard lassi is Rs.60/- to Rs.80/- i.e a mixture of curd and sugar is sold @ Rs.400/- per kg.
I have consciously limited my list to very common items which each one of us consumes at frequent intervals, just so that the issue is understood. The looting of public is rampant and, ALL OVER , not limited to only eatables. It is equally true of school fees, bus fare, train fare, auto and taxi fare, house rent, cost of house, just about everything. In most areas, it is the government run organizations which are leading the loot (air-india, government run ramshackle buses, electricity companies, now even the railways, etc.)
It is true, this is a free market and market must decide. But the point is that if the members of the market have formed a cartel, then should the government intervene or not to protect the helpless common man ? Once cartelization occurs, as has happened now, the common man looses control of the market, because he has to anyway buy. It is the government which must step in, not directly, but by putting in action its various enforcement departments to scrutinize the activities of unscrupulous sellers. Once such scrutiny starts, the trade will learn to behave. more
1) A simple vada-pav now costs minimum Rs.12/- even at roadside stalls.
2) Two pcs of batata-vada at any restaurant cost atleast Rs.50/-i.e Rs.25/- apiece.
3) Cost of samosa is Rs.12/-to Rs.15/- or even Rs.20/- at roadside stalls.
4) Idli-sambhar @ Rs.50/- atleast.
5) Masala dosa and puri-bhaji cost Rs.70/- minimum.
6) Pav-bhaji costs atleast Rs.70/- with the roadside stalls and minimum Rs.100/-at any restaurant.
7) A South Indian standard meal-thali , at any normal restaurant costs minimum Rs.110/-, eventhough the number of items, quality, and quantity are now reduced.
8) Tea at any restaurant is minimum Rs.20/- and at roadside tea stalls it is Rs.15/- If you make a bit of calculations, tea is being sold @ Rs.200/- to Rs.300/- per litre.
9) A cup of coffee at any restaurant is @ Rs.30/- minimum, i.e Rs.300/- to Rs.400 per litre.
10) Simple salted peanuts sold by roadside vendors are sold in small potions of Rs.5/- to Rs.10/- per potion, which works out to Rs.400/- per kg. This is comparable to the price of badam and kaju.
11) 25 gms. of plain potato chips costs Rs.10/- i.e potato sold @ Rs.300/- to Rs. 400/- per kg.
12) 1 litre of water bottle costs Rs.20/- at any shop and Rs.15/- at railway stalls.
13) Pulses cost average Rs.100/- a kg.
14) Vegetables is average Rs.80/- a kg.
15) Mithaiwalas are on a spree. The simplest and cheapest mithai is Rs.400/- per kg. The normal average mithais, which any one consumes averages cost of Rs.600/- to Rs.700/- per kg. The ones with exotic names are above Rs.1000/- per kg. Is this justified in any way ?
16) Farsan, namkeens etc. average cost is Rs.300-400/- per kg. Is it justified ?
17) A glass (well tapered bottom glass) of simple standard lassi is Rs.60/- to Rs.80/- i.e a mixture of curd and sugar is sold @ Rs.400/- per kg.
I have consciously limited my list to very common items which each one of us consumes at frequent intervals, just so that the issue is understood. The looting of public is rampant and, ALL OVER , not limited to only eatables. It is equally true of school fees, bus fare, train fare, auto and taxi fare, house rent, cost of house, just about everything. In most areas, it is the government run organizations which are leading the loot (air-india, government run ramshackle buses, electricity companies, now even the railways, etc.)
It is true, this is a free market and market must decide. But the point is that if the members of the market have formed a cartel, then should the government intervene or not to protect the helpless common man ? Once cartelization occurs, as has happened now, the common man looses control of the market, because he has to anyway buy. It is the government which must step in, not directly, but by putting in action its various enforcement departments to scrutinize the activities of unscrupulous sellers. Once such scrutiny starts, the trade will learn to behave. more
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My post is not about things being costly. It is about things being OVER PRICED i.e the price is much more than what the thing is worth. People are being looted. Not buying is not the solution. Out of 125 crore people, the seller needs only 100, which he can easily get. A different set of people, buy, due to different reasons, everyday. When the sellers have sort of formed a cartel, what alternative does the consumer have than to buy, in case of need ? Some will say and have said , cook at home, dont eat etc. Yes. But what does he do is he wants potatoes or tomatoes ? Should he grow those ? The market forces cannot work under cartelisation, overt or covert. Govt has to step in through its enforcement machinery to break the cartels. This may be done through various departments like taxation, compliance of various acts etc. Some may say this is interference and oppressive of the trade. Maybe. But once the trade goes into a cartel and oppresses consumers, is it not one of the functions of the govt to discipline the trade ? Governments are meant for just that, legislate, enforce, control by persuasion or coercion, not only the trade, but all areas of life and activity in the country. more
Nov 07
prices on the menu card must reflect the including taxes if any. last minute addition of taxes will totally change the amount.sometimes it causes problem. not only mumbai but all over country. more
Nov 05
Mr. V. V. Chandrashekar (President Skill Development and educator) has not understood what the issue is all about. His are the typical comments of a person who earns much more than enough, and hence does not care about the majority of normal earners. Rs.12/- for a vada pav is definitely a loot price even if he, me or someone else can afford it. There are millions find that it is overpriced. more
Nov 03
Dear friends Mere INR 12/- for vada pav is costly! And the same people would go to a movie and pay more than 1500/-. They would go to a resort on weekend and be happy but have issues on other people who are trying to earn. I am sorry but I tend to disagree. If one wants food at a restaurant then pay the price of a/c and a nice place to sit and eat else eat the same food at the roadside sirs. I am able to understand the issue of taxes but unable to comprehend it being linked to the poor man who is there offering food and other items - however the choice is ours if we want to consume the same !! more
Nov 02
Look, all my friends. All people came in Mumbai to make money. The way of making money can be anything. There is a big link to this activity. We talk about the corruption removal. Before that we need to change Culture of people and convert it into a common fact called as "Desh Bnakti, Human Kindness". It seems very tough for our country but still it is possible. We should not divide our own people under the name of Caste, Poor, Middle Class etc. more
Oct 25
