Price hike hits Karnataka: Essential commodities dearer from April

Bengaluru

Starting Tuesday the state's residents are confronted with soaring prices as a multitude of essential goods and services experience significant increases. The hike in prices is expected to burn a hole in the pockets of ordinary citizens and those from economically weaker backgrounds. Notable price increases include milk, curd, electricity, tolls, and various service charges, alongside the implementation of a new garbage collection cess.

From today, the price of all Nandini milk packets has increased by ₹4 per liter, while the price of curd has also been raised by ₹4 per liter.

Starting today, electricity rates have seen a hike of 36 paise per unit. In addition, the fixed monthly charge will increase by ₹20, raising the standard charge from ₹120 to ₹140. For households using Grihajyothi, exceeding 200 units will result in a noticeable increase in the electricity bill.

The increase in the garbage collection cess in Bengaluru will add to the shock for the city's residents. For residential buildings, the cess will be ₹10 for up to 600 square feet, ₹50 for 601 to 1,000 square feet, ₹100 for 1,001 to 2,000 square feet, ₹150 for 2,001 to 3,000 square feet, and ₹200 for 3,001 to 4,000 square feet. For properties over 4,000 square feet, the cess will be ₹400.

For commercial buildings, the garbage collection cess will be charged per kilogram. For a commercial establishment generating 5 kg of waste daily, the cess will be ₹500; for 10 kg, it will be ₹1,400; for 25 kg, ₹3,500; and for 50 kg, it will be ₹7,000. For a 100 kg waste output, the cess will rise to ₹14,000.

Effective immediately, the import duties on steel and vehicle parts will increase, meaning higher prices for new vehicles purchased after today.

The stamp duty has increased from ₹50 to ₹500, while the fee for affidavits will rise from ₹20 to ₹100.

The Road Authority has announced a toll increase of 3% to 5%, effective today. This increase affects a total of 66 toll plazas across the state, hitting vehicle owners hard.

The Department of Electrical Inspection has increased fees for home lift inspections and renewals, as well as transformer inspections and renewals. For homes with three floors using a lift, inspection fees have skyrocketed from ₹800 to ₹5,000 to ₹8,000, depending on the number of floors.

The fees for the inspection and renewal of 25 kVA transformers for homes, offices, and factories have also increased from ₹1,300 to ₹3,000 to ₹5,000.

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The president of FKCCI expressed outrage at these price hikes, underscoring the financial burden it places on everyday citizens.

In response to the ongoing price hikes, the BJP party has expressed its opposition. State party president B.Y. Vijayendra announced protests to be held on Wednesday in Freedom Park and across all districts and taluks on April 5.