Goa: Congress leader Kamat expresses concern over bread price hike

Expressing concern over the hike in bread price in the state, leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Thursday urged the state government to immediately take action and support the local bakers.

The new price will come into effect from October 10, as announced by the Goa Bakers and Confectioners Association.

Stating that the new price of the bread 'Pau' will affect the budget of the common man, Kamat said: "The hike in bread prices will severely hit the day to day budget of a common man at a time when people are facing financial problems on account of the economic slowdown."

Kamat has also urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to implement the recommendations of the Task Force Committee (TFK) which was constituted under the chairmanship Nandkumar Kamat in 2011. According to him, these recommendations will not help in stabilising the prices but will also encourage the local 'Poders'.

"I would like to bring it to the notice of the Chief Minister that no action was initiated on the TFC recommendations and the report was shelved after 2012. The Chief Minister should once again open the report and take all stakeholders into confidence to boost the traditional local bread business in Goa," he added.

The TFC had recommended a package for the local bakers in which would provide 50 per cent subsidy on raw material, the government would subsidise electric baking ovens to save firewood, sanction power and water tariffs to bakers at concessional rates and give 50 per cent one time subsidy for purchasing bicycles and local made bamboo or baskets for marketing.