The prime minister’s much-hyped relief package announced in a televised address to the nation was music to ears of the public, but only music to ears, not a real relief to the pocket of the commoners. The real issue for the people on the street right now and for the past many months has been inflation, which is hitting new records on a day-to-day basis, which used to be a year-to-year affair in bygone eras. In such a situation, the public deserves a break from price hike, which the relief package does not seem to address. Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a Rs120 billion relief package for 130 million people to be executed for six months by the government. In terms of per head allocations, the sum stands at Rs923, which is too little to make a difference to any low-income household. By all means, the relief package is far short of expectations, no matter one calls it a record-breaking or record setting package.
The government plans to benefit the poor households through a targeted subsidy programme under which the poor people will be supplied a few kitchen items, such as ghee/edible oil, flour and pulses, at a 30 percent discount on their retail prices. To avail the subsidy, one must be earning up to or less than Rs31,500 per month. What about those earning more than Rs31,500 and less than Rs100,000? Are they making month to month comfortably? Ask a man on the street, and their reaction will help the government gauge the level of the anger running among the masses on the government’s failure to contain prices.
To add (costly) fuel to the fire, the government has increased petroleum prices for the 10th time after the passage of the 2021 budget. Every hike is tantamount to a mini budget. The recent price hike of petrol is going to nullify the impact of the relief package which has yet to be rolled in. Not only petroleum prices, gas and electricity bills will witness an increase in the coming months. With the passage of every day, poor are getting poorer.
True, inflation is a worldwide issue. This is also a reality that petroleum prices have soared internationally. Not to mention that Covid has hit the global economy very hard. But the government’s job is to come up with sustainable actions, not excuses, to contain the impact of inflation.
