Goa Congress concerned over hike in price of bread

A day after a local baker's association announced a Re 1 hike in the price of the humble bread, locally known as pao, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Thursday said that the hike will severely hit the common man.

"Common man will be severely hit by hike in bread prices. I urge @goacm @DrPramodSawant to implement the recommendations of Task Force Committee 2011 headed by Dr. Nandakumar Kamat which will ensure in stabilising prices and encourage local Poders and Pav," Kamat tweeted on Thursday.

The committee headed by Kamat had recommended ways to revive traditional occupations like bread-making and make them sustainable with government support.

A single unit of pao weighing 50 gm is currently sold at Rs 4 in Goa and the hike, which is expected to come into effect from October 10 as per the All Goa Baker's and Confectioners Association, will hike the price to Rs 5 per unit.

Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo has however said, that the hike was nominal and would not impact the common man much.

"It is only a Re 1 hike. Prices of ingredients required to bake a pao has also gone up, like flour, firewood, electricity rates. So the hike is justifiable. But the bread that is made should be of good quality," Lobo said.

Pao, made from fermented wheat dough, was first introduced in the Indian mainland during the colonial Portuguese regime in Goa.IANS