Akangjungla
From the market point of view, the growth of the global economy is celebrated everywhere. It has great benefits to the corporate sector and to the wider aspect of the development measures. The growth of economy is also supposed to benefit the poor and the middle class population. However, there is lack of convincing proof that every section of the society is equally benefited from such growth.
The challenge of higher commodity prices cannot be undermined even as there are sections of people in the society who does not understand the terms like budget, economic growth, inflation and market policy etc. By rationalization, human being needs food, water, air and shelter to survive. For economists and policy makers, their target is how to control the price rises and present monetary policies that would not dampen the economic recovery. All these are unable to address the distress the common people have to face on a daily basis.
In places like Dimapur and Kohima, the phenomenon in which the cost of public transportation and essential commodities are scaling higher each day is clear evidence that the measures taken or suggestions made in the central level does correct the problem commonly. The cost of traveling in taxi and autorickshaw for town trips are skyrocketing in both Dimapur and Kohima. The easiest and the most convenient excuse the commuters get to hear is the rising price of fuel. Likewise, for the hike in the cost of essential commodities is the nationwide inflation. The cycle seems to be never-ending. The spike in price is not a recent occurrence; it is just that the effects are more alarming now. The prevailing combination of more expensive cost for survival and lower incomes should be a matter of concern for all. The cause is more complex and it would require more than any temporary quick fix solution.
There seems to be an underlined subduing of the less economic-privileged population. While places like Dimapur and Kohima continues to grow in terms of building commercial infrastructures and develop private properties, there are many villages are areas in Nagaland which are still not accessible by road. The rich-people or the so called elite society are celebrating their riches by owning multiple palace like houses and paying lakh for designer clothes and fashion accessories; the poor or not-so rich people are facing the hurdles of keeping their kitchen stove burning and funding the basic education of their children. It will be delusional to even justice that there is social and economic justice in the Naga society.
The search for solution has to start from holding the policymakers, government agencies and the stakeholders accountable for delivering better public services. The speculation among the people that, nothing can be done to bring changes in the system needs to be replaced by a new set of understanding. It is high time to address the problem of the price inflationary pressure on the economy and the burden put on the common people and perhaps, the solution lies with the people itself and now with the authorities. Therefore, despite all kinds of motivational propositions to challenge the structure, unless the state has a conscious driven public to assert good governance, the problem will continue to exist in one form or the other.
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com
