KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 27

Parliamentarians have suggested that the government remain aware and vigilant against exorbitant inflation and black marketing of daily consumable items, including sugar, as the major festivals such as Dashain and Tihar were nearby.

A majority of the parliamentarians attending the meeting of the Public Account Committee in the House of Representatives today said artificial shortage on daily consumable goods could be created during the festival and thus brought this matter to the knowledge of the government.

Gokul Prasad Banskota emphasised the need to ensure people's right to avail daily essentials at an affordable price. He claimed that shortage of sugar in the market, especially during the festival season, was due to giving select persons privileges and support from government for manufacturers and importers.

Likewise, Rajendra Prasad Lingden appealed to the government to pay timely attention to the plight of consumers who were bearing the brunt of black marketing and inflation.

Achyut Mainali and Dev Prasad Timalsina expressed concern over the undue advantage that were being taken by others than real farmers when it came to chemical fertilizers.

Arjun Narshing KC urged the government to take necessary steps as, he said, that the general public were bearing the brunt of black marketeering of food items as the festivals near.

Ram Krishna Yadav demanded strict actions against those business persons involved in hoarding things, thereby leaving consumers at lurch. Lekhnath Dahal requested the Committee members to prioritize effective discussion within the committees and to take stock of the complaints and status of implementation of the decisions in the past to increase the effectiveness of the Committee.

Yogesh Bhattarai, analyzing the state of the State coffers during the formation of the incumbent government, criticized that it was a clear violation of the government's policy on cutting down the public expenses by not buying new vehicles and not travelling abroad except for essentials.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 28, 2023, of The Himalayan Times