Kohima: Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has extended support to the ongoing nationwide protest under the aegis of Congress against the rise in prices of essential commodities and motor fuel.
A press release issued by the NVCO appealed to the consumers to come forward and extend support so as to bring down the prices of essential commodities and petrol-diesel in the country and especially in Nagaland in particular. It said that during the later part of 2020 when the Nagaland Government imposed Covid-cess on fuel and motor spirits, the NVCO had asked the government to roll back the said tax as common people were suffering from skyrocketing of prices.
The NVCO also alleged that the Nagaland Government did not have an effective mechanism for price regulation and its agencies were performing poorly in price regulation. The petroleum products was not be the right way to create revenue and that “the state government could save its budget by removing ‘non-Government employees enjoying Government’s monthly salary’ at the rank of cabinet minister, PROs, PS, media officer, commissioner & secretary, joint and deputy secretaries attached to politicians and top offices, non-legislators holding the posts of Advisers, party workers and defeated candidates holding posts of Chairman with Minister status.”
Asserting that it would not remain silent spectator over the issues like fuel prices or illegal and unauthorised taxation, contributing to price rise in the State, NVCO in a statement also appealed to all consumers and public to come forward and extend support to the ongoing stir to bring down the prices of essential commodities and fuel in the country, particularly in Nagaland.
NVCO president Kezhokhoto Savi said that besides the protest of the Congress party at the national level and Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee in the state of Nagaland, farmers have also been protesting the recent price hike of petrol, diesel and cooking oil, demanding that the rates be halved with immediate effect, the release said.
