Protest against sky-rocketing prices of life-saving drugs, essential commodities in Lakhimpur

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The members of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) took to the street in Lakhimpur on Tuesday initiating strong protest programme against the sky-rocketing prices of life-saving medicines and other essential commodities.

Notably, essential medicines, including the life-saving drugs were already set to get expensive from fiscal 2024 in line with rising inflation. The central government has approved a 12.12% hike in the prices of essential drugs, which are regulated under the Drug Price Control Order, according to the minutes of the meeting of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. This is the biggest ever hike announced and it has become effective from April 1. At present, the prices of 384 medicines have been hiked. Reports say that it is based on the wholesale price index of the preceding calendar year, which is representative of inflation in the country. The hike in the prices of essential medicines, including life-saving drugs, has burnt a hole in the pocket of the common people. In addition, the common people of the State have to suffer a lot due to the exorbitant prices of the essential commodities too at present.

Alleging failure with regard to controlling the hike in the prices of essential commodities in the State, the activists of the North Lakhimpur regional unit of the AJYCP burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Supply Minister Ranjeet Dass. The organization staged the protest programme at North Lakhimpur Girls HS School Chariali of North Lakhimpur town on Tuesday. During the demonstration, the protesters shouted multiple slogans demanding control in price-hike at the earliest. AJYCP warned that the activists of the organization would initiate intensified stir if the Government of Assam did not take any effective steps to control the sky-rocketing prices of the essential commodities. Besides the office bearers and members of the North Lakhimpur regional committee, the dignitaries of the Lakhimpur district body of the AJYCP took part in the protest programme.