The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Household budgets across Jammu and Kashmir continue to face pressure from the cost of essential commodities, with consumers raising concerns over higher prices of food and other daily-use items despite existing mechanisms for price monitoring and enforcement.

Latest available J&K price data puts the average retail price of milk at ₹62.67 per litre, sugar at ₹63.33 per kilogram, moong dal at ₹121.33 per kilogram and masoor dal at ₹104.33 per kilogram.

For consumers, the impact of prices is not determined solely by the headline inflation rate but by what households actually spend on food, cooking essentials and other daily-use commodities in local markets.

Jammu and Kashmir has an official system for monitoring prices. The Directorate of Economics and Statistics collects retail prices of essential commodities from selected markets and shops across all 20 districts of the Union Territory.

The department says the collected information is analysed to identify price fluctuations and regulate supplies. Daily prices of 22 essential commodities are also submitted to the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs for monitoring.

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department is responsible for monitoring the prices and availability of essential commodities and protecting consumer interests. Its enforcement machinery includes Legal Metrology authorities, which check compliance relating to packaged goods, weights, measures and pricing.

Recent enforcement action has also been reported.

The Legal Metrology Department said it realised about ₹44.55 lakh in revenue and ₹9.10 lakh through composition during August 2026, while more than 50 Improvement Notices were served on establishments for minor or rectifiable deficiencies.

In September, two online sellers were also penalised ₹25,000 each in a consumer-protection action.

In Jammu, a market inspection in Trikuta Nagar and adjoining areas on August 30 found deficiencies in MRP display and expired products at some establishments, following which notices were issued.

The continuing concern for consumers, however, is whether such monitoring and enforcement are translating into effective relief at the retail counter.

The J&K Economic Survey 2025-26 provides an indication of longer-term price pressure. According to the Survey, J&K’s combined inflation remained above the all-India rate throughout 2025.

J&K’s inflation stood at 4.8% in January 2025 against 4.3% nationally and at 4.4% in September compared with 1.4% nationally. In December, J&K recorded inflation of 2.3% against 1.3% for India.

The difference between official inflation figures and individual household experience can arise because inflation is an average measure and does not reflect the exact basket of goods purchased by every family.

Households that spend a larger share of their income on food and essential commodities can therefore feel a sharper increase in monthly expenditure when those items become more expensive.

The latest Crisil household-food indicator also points to continued pressure on food budgets. The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali increased 1% year-on-year in August, while the non-vegetarian thali rose 5%.

Crisil attributed the increase mainly to onion, vegetable oil, rice and LPG prices.

For consumers in J&K, the concern therefore extends beyond whether inflation is rising or falling on paper. It also involves the prices actually paid for essential commodities, possible gaps between prescribed and retail prices where violations occur, and the effectiveness of inspections in preventing overcharging.

With price-monitoring mechanisms operating across all 20 districts, consumers are likely to continue looking to the administration for closer enforcement, transparent publication of district-wise prices and action against overcharging wherever violations are established.

SRINAGAR — Former legislator and senior political leader Syed Asgar Ali has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rejoining the party in the presence of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar on Friday.

Ali, a former MLC from Kishtwar, had been associated with the PDP for several years before leaving the party. He later joined the National Conference in 2019.

His return to the PDP was announced in the presence of Mehbooba Mufti, who described the development as significant for the party in Jammu and Kashmir.

Ali, who is from Kishtwar, had previously served in the PDP’s senior organisational structure, including as a member of its Political Affairs Committee.

He is also the father of IAS officer Syed Sehrish Asgar.

His latest political move marks his return to the PDP after his earlier association with the National Conference.

SRINAGAR — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hit back at the Congress over its objection to the full rendition of Vande Mataram at official functions in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the government must follow the law as long as it remains in force.

Speaking to reporters, Omar said, “Do Congress want more people should go to jail?” while responding to the Congress position on the rendition of the national song.

“We have to follow the law. If Congress comes to power, they can repeal the law. But as long as the law exists, we have to follow it,” Omar said.

He said the National Conference did not recognise the full version of the song at the party level, but said the government’s position was different because of the existing law.

“At party level we don't recognise this song, but now it is a law and anybody who doesn't sing it can face action under law,” Omar said.

The Chief Minister said Congress, which had raised objections to the government’s position, should have opposed the legislation in Parliament.

“Congress that talks about it should have stopped it in the Parliament,” Omar said, adding that he hoped a Congress government would come to power and repeal the law.

The remarks came amid a dispute between the National Conference and its alliance partner Congress over the rendition of the full six-stanza version of Vande Mataram at official functions.

The dispute began after the complete version was played at the inaugural ceremony of the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar in the presence of Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah.

The full version was subsequently played at the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Justice of the J&K and Ladakh High Court.

J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra criticised the NC’s position, saying the adopted version of the song reflected a balance between its historical significance and India’s plural ethos.

NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq responded that the government had to follow the law and that nobody would be forced to sing the song.

Sadiq also pointed to instances in Congress-ruled Karnataka and Telangana where the full version of Vande Mataram was played at official functions and asked Karra to comment on the position taken by Congress chief ministers in those states.

The legal dispute relates to the 2026 amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, which, according to the source material, extended specific legal protection to Vande Mataram.

According to the government’s explanation of the amendment, the law penalises intentionally preventing the singing of the National Song or causing a disturbance to an assembly engaged in its singing.