Rising prices have hit the middle-class income group the most. According to a survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), as many as 55% of the lower middle-class families are forced to skip or squeeze their budgets for fresh fruits and vegetables amid skyrocketing prices.
With cities across the nation being impacted by the price rise, Ahmedabad stands third after Delhi and Mumbai which have suffered the most. Kolkata and Chennai are among the ‘top five’ in the list of worst affected cities.
The survey revealed that during the last three years, when the salary of the common man has gone up by 10% to 15%, the prices of fruits and vegetables have risen by 100% to 115%.
In the survey, 86% of the respondents said rising prices had made their life even tougher. It was found that middle-class families are unable to budget their monthly household expenses because of unpredictable rise in prices.
The pinch has been experienced the most by middle-class families across the country. Almost 52% of the employees shell out Rs4,000 to Rs5,000 every month on vegetables and fruits. Five years ago this expenditure was one-fourth of what it is today. Also, 65% of women respondents are worried about the disarray in their household budgets. This has forced them to reschedule their daily menus.
