LAHORE, June 3: The man on the street has almost lost interest in the budget because of high rate of inflation that hardly enables him to make both ends meet.
Revision in prices of petroleum products after every fortnight and exorbitant raise in the rates of commodities, especially essential kitchen items, every now and then are among the responses. These are mainly because of the growing apathy the commoners have developed towards the government’s annual financial plan.
To street vendors Ishaq and Mushtaq, every day is a budget day. Electrician Bashir and carpenter Razzaq call it nothing but jugglery of digits while maid Sughran and sweeper Ghafoor are of the view that only the rich benefit from any relief announced by the government.
“Housewives blame me for the price hike and almost every day I explain to them that I have got the produce at a rate higher than the previous day’s,” said Ishaq, who sells vegetable on a cart in Iqbal Town’s Mehran and Kamran blocks.
Mushtaq has to bear the brunt while carrying fruits by his bicycle in Awan Town, Peco Colony and parts of Sabzazar. “People start arguing if there is an increase in the price of a fruit which they bought at cheaper rate a day or so earlier. They do not understand that I buy commodities from the fruit market and do not produce them at home.”
Bashir of Johar Town recalled that he had been reading what he called ‘sweeping statements’ of the people in power before the budget for the last two decades that it would not burden the ordinary man. “Ironically, it is the commoners who suffer the most after every budget. Every time I read that huge amounts have been allocated for the health and education sectors, but the conditions at the government hospitals and schools are deteriorating with every passing day.”
Razzaq termed the budget as an attempt by the politicians to befool the commoners. “Every year it is claimed the lot of the poor will ameliorate because of the measures the government plans to undertake in the forthcoming financial year, but the figure of the people below poverty line is on the rise. Why don’t they reduce the number of ministers and advisers and use the money meant for their perks and privileges for giving relief to the people in utility bills?”
Sughran would continue working as a maid in Shadman houses as usual. “I would continue to wake up between four and five in the morning and return home after 10 to 12 hours daily.”
However, she proposed revival of the depot system which was in vogue during the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto regime. “Every family should have a ration card bearing the specific quantity of vegetables, fruit, meat, beef, medicines and other essentials which should be available at these depots on subsidised rates.”
The utility stores had been set up for the rich, she alleged, who took away quality goods in bulk, leaving little or nothing for the people like her.
Ghafoor seconded her opinion by recalling that on the ration card every person used to get at least a minimum quantity of flour and sugar. “I had been working at the Shadman GOR and seen Sunday Bazaar traders separating quality fruits and vegetables, which were sent to the residences of officers early in the morning. The practice is still going on. Will the budget stop it?” he asked.
Prayer leader at a mosque in Model Town extension scheme, Qari Maqsood Naeemi said in the absence of an effective mechanism to check quality and prices of essentials, any pay raise would be meaningless. “The prices of commodities are increased even after the announcement of pay raise.”
At present, he said there was no system to ensure availability of commodities at a uniform price even at the city level. “A commodity will be available at a price of Rs10 a kilogram in Shahdara, Rs20 in Ravi Road areas and Rs30 in posh areas like Model Town.”
He suggested that the union council nazim and his deputy should be empowered to control prices in their respective areas while the town and city nazims should supervise the mechanism on a daily basis.