Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday interacted with vendors and local residents during her visit to Mylapore market in Chennai. According to a video tweet by ANI news agency, the union minister also purchased vegetables from a roadside shop vendor while she greeted locals.
Some glimpses from Smt @nsitharaman‘s visit to Mylapore market in Chennai. https://t.co/GQiPiC5ui5 pic.twitter.com/fjuNVhfY8e
— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) October 8, 2022
“During her day-long visit to Chennai, Nirmala Sitharaman made a halt at Mylapore market where she interacted with the vendors & local residents and also purchased vegetables,” the office of Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet.
While netizens appreciated her interacting with local vendors and “ground-zero” understanding of the common man, some also raised concerns over rising prices.
“Ma’m, ground-level understanding of people’s problem about prices of vegetables, fruits and daily necessities is needed,” a Twitter user said.
The Consumer price index (CPI) inflation has been at or above the upper tolerance threshold of 6 per cent since January. With the rupee touching a new all-time low level at 82.32 against the US dollar on Friday, experts have raised concerns. The weakening rupee has implications on inflation as it pushes up the cost of imported components and products, including edible oils during the ongoing festive season.
However, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday defended the government and observed that there was a time in India, almost a decade ago, when double-digit inflation was considered as normal.
He said that the government had mandated RBI to target inflation and keep it between 2-6 per cent. Pointing at several developed nations grappling with high levels of inflation, he said, “India has been successfully keeping inflation at moderate level”.
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