Guwahati, March 12: Assam is becoming a costly place to live in, according to the economic survey for 2002-03. The survey, which was tabled in the Assembly today, showed an alarming rise in the prices of essential commodities, ranging up to 35 per cent. Probably keeping in mind the price rise and in an effort to raise their standard of living, the state government today announced a reservation of 30 per cent in official contracts and supply work for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes from this year.
The survey revealed that the monthly average of retail prices of a number of essential commodities recorded varying degrees of rise during the first six months of the year. The comparison of prices during June, 2002 with that of January, 2002 showed that commodities like flour, mustard oil, soap, baby food, milk, dal, kerosene and vanaspati had registered an increase in price ranging from 0.4 per cent to 35 per cent.
Detergent soap recorded the highest increase of 34.87 per cent with the average monthly retail price varying from Rs 13.22 in January to Rs 17.83 in June, 2002.
Though the level of prices has gone up, the per capita income has not matched the all-India rate. “In recent years, the gap between the per capita income of Assam and India has widened further. While the all-India per capita income is Rs 16,487, Assam’s per capita income is Rs 10,467.
Minister for welfare of plain tribes and other backward classes Bharat Narah informed the House that the government would soon enact a legislation to make the reservation of contracts and supply work for SC and ST communities legal.
The state government’s policy decision to introduce quotas in all government contracts for the SCs and STs was first made by Gogoi on November 22 last year while addressing the Congress’ first northeastern SC/ST zonal rally. Gogoi had then announced a 12 per cent reservation. He later issued a verbal order to Narah to effect a 30 per cent reservation. Ruling Congress members, however, demanded a 50 per cent reservation.
As per the 1991 census, the SCs account for 7.40 per cent and the STs for 12.83 per cent of the state’s total population. The total population of the state, as revealed in the provisional result of the 2001 census, is 26.63 crore.