Dehradun News: The rising inflation across the country has badly affected the kitchen budget of the common man. The situation is similar in Uttarakhand as well, rain and changing weather in the state capital has increased the prices of vegetables and other kitchen items drastically. The prices of vegetables and essential food items are constantly increasing, due to which it is no longer easy to eat even dal-roti. Along with the already expensive vegetables, the rising prices of flour, pulses and edible oils have further increased the kitchen expenses. 

The main reason for the rise in vegetable prices is said to be the non-arrival of winter vegetables. Due to this, the prices of onion, garlic and other vegetables are skyrocketing in the vegetable markets. The price of onion has reached Rs 70 per kg, while garlic is being sold at Rs 300 to Rs 400 per kg. Similarly, potatoes are being sold at Rs 40 per kg, cabbage at Rs 100, capsicum at Rs 100 and cucumber at Rs 100 per kg. Tomato, which is an essential vegetable in the kitchen of many houses, is being sold at up to Rs 60 per kg. 

Apart from this, the prices of flour and pulses have also increased rapidly. The prices of flour have also increased, where earlier 10 kg flour was available for Rs 380, now it has crossed Rs 400. The price of tur dal,
the most used among pulses, has increased from Rs 180 to Rs 200 per kg. Chana dal has increased from Rs 95 to Rs 115 per kg. Although the prices of moong, malka and urad dal have remained stable, the prices of other pulses have increased by up to 30 percent.

There has also been an increase in the prices of edible oils. Mustard oil, which was selling at Rs 130 per liter till 15 days ago, has now become Rs 157 per liter. The prices of refined oil have also increased by Rs 30 to Rs 132 per liter. The price of vegetable ghee has also increased from Rs 110 to Rs 140 per kg. One of the major reasons for this rising inflation is believed to be the increase in custom duty on crude oil by the central government 15 days ago. 

Inflation has spoiled the kitchen budget.
According to Vinod Kumar Goyal, a wholesale trader of Aadhat Bazar Dehradun, the government has increased the custom duty on crude oil from zero to 20 percent, while the custom duty on refined oil has been increased to 35.7 percent. This has had a direct impact on the prices of edible oils, which has further increased the kitchen expenses. The kitchen budget is being hit from all sides. From vegetables to pulses and flour, the increase in the prices of everything has had a deep impact on the economic condition of the common man.