IMPHAL, Nov 13: Ongoing violence and economic challenges in Manipur have led to a sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities, with items like rice becoming increasingly costly. Reports suggest that the artificial inflation is driven by certain business figures and political leaders, exacerbated by recent bandhs and blockades along the state’s national highways.
In response, volunteers from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) students’ wing and the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) launched a campaign to monitor business practices in Imphal. During their inspections, they found several wholesale outlets selling imported goods above the government-mandated prices, leading to the closure of 20 stores that violated pricing standards.
MSF President Hijam Roshan announced that these checks will continue and urged the government to act against violators of the Essential Commodities Act.
Currently, locally produced rice that was priced at Rs 56 per kg is now selling for Rs 65 per kg, with other essentials like imported rice, potatoes, onions, eggs, LPG cylinders, and petrol also being sold at prices far above government-fixed rates.
