Housewives across India voice their expectations prior to budget

KOLKATA//JAIPUR /MUMBAI - With the whole country experiencing a price rise, housewives across India voice their apprehensions and expectations of the Annual Budget for 2010-11, which will be presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on February 26.

Meera Biswas, a housewife from Kolkata, says she expects the prices of basic items like rice and vegetables to come down so that the middle class does not suffer.

“Being a housewife, I think the budget should be such that the prices of the items should not go any higher. I hope that the prices of rice, pulses, vegetables and, most importantly, fish for us Bengalis, should come within our limit. Price of the gas cylinders should decrease so that we can maintain our household budget. I expect things should be a little more affordable for the middle class people like us,” said Biswas.

Meanwhile, Manjari Devi from Jaipur feels that it is very difficult to manage the kitchen budget and hopes the upcoming Budget would bring some respite to the pockets of the common man.

“The prices of sugar and pulses that we use the most in our food should be decreased. Earlier we used to confine our budget to rupees 5,000, but the prices of commodities have increased so much that now our budget is more than rupees 10,000,” said Manjari Devi.

“The whole budget of our house has gone topsy-turvy and because of the recession, companies are not giving a hike in our salaries. Moreover, the prices of basic commodities have gone up. The pulses and milk, which are the basic necessity of a family have increased so much, leave alone fruits; I feel they are becoming a luxury now,” complained Nirupa Vyavaharkar, a housewife from Mumbai.

Fuel prices rose an annual 10.4 percent in the same week, following an upswing in world crude prices amid signs of a global recovery, further stretching household budgets.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought to reassure the public. Last week he said India’s farm output in 2009/10 would exceed initial estimates, raising prospects that food inflation would soon be controlled.

The government also decided to form a panel to recommend long-term measures to raise agricultural production and reduce the gap between farm gate and retail prices.

Food prices rose 17.9 percent in the 12 months to January 30, higher than an annual rise of 17.6 percent in the previous week, data released on February 11 showed. (ANI)