The holy month of Ramadhan is round the corner. As usual the price of edibles has skyrocketed. What a pity that instead of voluntarily bringing down the price index of consumer goods on such religious occasions like the Ramadhan, the traders jack up the prices of essential goods thus making a quick buck in these thirty days and scooping fat gains .
In Europe and other Christian world the shopkeepers on their own volition reduce the price of consumer goods on Christmas and Easter thus providing a big relief to the have-nots also enabling them to celebrate their religious events without any financial burden .
The so-called district price review committees are good for nothing. They exist in every district but on paper only. They sleep through out the year and become active on the eve of Ramadhan or eid only to show their presence. They have failed miserably to rein in the greedy trader and they have not been able to raid and seal the godown of those traders who hoard edibles to create their artificial scarcity in the market and then sell the hoarded commodity at their sweet will and at the price of their choice.
Granted that markets run on the principle of demand and supply and the economists are of the view that this mechanism should not be interfered with by state’s interference as it can result in scarcity of consumer goods but experience of hindsight tells us that whenever the market forces were given unhindered freedom they have ruthlessly exploited the common man squeezing them until the pips squeak.
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