BENGALURU: Bengalureans have expressed their concern over the hike in milk prices by Rs 4 per litre and a 36 paise per unit surcharge set to be levied on electricity bills from April 1.
Price hikes in the city are nothing new, from coffee to even Metro fares, each increase impacts daily life. “Since this government came in, prices of so many staples have gone up-- not just electricity, but also Metro fares, commercial property, and landowning charges. While they offer benefits like free bus tickets for women, hikes in essentials still hit common people,” shared Anjana Nair, a corporate employee.
Prithvi Prasad, a PG student living on his own expenses, finds the hikes especially frustrating: “I understand inflation, but milk is a daily necessity and hiking it by Rs 4 is going to burn a hole in our pockets. Besides, electricity costs are rising too. As a student with limited finances, I rely on fans, lights and WiFi for studying, and this will strain my budget,” he said and added that people are taken for granted.
For larger families, the impact is even more significant. Alphonsa George, a working mother of five, explains: “This might seem like a small hike, but for households that buy multiple litres of milk daily, the situation will be very hard. The hike will have a huge impact on common people like us,” she said.
On the other hand, corporate employee Mohit Agarwal takes a different stance: “The rise in electricity costs per unit will impact the larger population, as fixed budgets may force them to cut back on other expenses. At the same time, it could benefit electricity distributors, many of whom operate at heavy losses. The increased revenue might help them offset costs,” he explains.