Hike in petroleum prices hits hard commoners
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 15 2021:
The ever-increasing prices of petroleum products in the country are now beginning to hit hard the people while public transport services and school van services have strongly called for hiking fare due to increasing petrol and diesel prices and this would add more worry to the people particularly those belonging to financially weaker sections.
Vehicle owners throughout India had no discussion on expenditure incurred in purchasing fuel owing to prolonged closure of educational institutions and suspension of public transport service due to COVID-19 pandemic but public passenger service in the state resumed following slight improvement in the COVID-19 situation with hiked fare from the pre-pandemic rate.
This compelled poor people to spend additional expenditure.
On the other hand, vehicle owners providing school transport/van services have readied to hike transportation charge of students amidst preparation being made to reopen educational institutions due to improvement in COVID-19 situation in the state.
As per data available by The People's Chronicle, prices of petrol and diesel in the state have increased four times at the rate of Rs 1 per litre from October 1 to 16 (Saturday) along with the hike of petroleum prices in the country.
As per the data, price of one litre of petrol stood at Rs 103.11 and diesel at Rs 91.04 on October 1 but the prices increased to Rs 104.48 and Rs 92.67 respectively for petrol and diesel on October 8 and prices further increased to Rs 105.40 and 93.37 respectively on October 10.Prices further increased on Friday (October 15) to Rs 106.41 and Rs 94.79 for one litre of petrol and diesel respectively.
One litre of petrol will cost Rs 106.77 from Saturday (October 16) onwards and diesel will cost Rs 95.14 per litre.
Regarding ever increasing hike of petroleum prices in the country, a driver rendering public passenger service informed The People's Chronicle that COVID-19 pandemic put on hold almost every sector for nearly two years but public transport service in the state resumed very recently with some conditions due to slight improvement.
Sitting capacity allowed at present is only half of the full capacity but hike in fuel prices has put service providers almost at suspending service.
On the other hand, a functionary of school van service association told The People's Chronicle that almost everyone providing school van service comes from financially weak families and they have been without any income for nearly two years.
It would be impossible for those rendering school van service to provide service without increasing fare when schools reopen as fuel prices have increased much from the pre-pandemic rate, the functionary said, adding that rate of fare according to distance will be fixed at the earliest.
When talked in this regard, a prominent economist of the state informed The People's Chronicle that scores of jobs have been removed from private sector due to COVID-19 pandemic while some are getting half the monthly honorarium or wage.
Amidst this situation, fuel prices have increased as also daily essentials and educational expenses.
As for the state, transportation of students, be it private or government educational institutions, depend on public transport service or school van service.
Increasing transportation fare of one student will affect the student's family for sure and hence many students might be unable to continue their education due to financial problems when educational institutions reopen in the state, the economist observed.
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