PUNE Satish Mujumle, a parent, was shocked when their school van driver informed him about the fees having increased from the new academic year for their son. “For the last two months, I have been paying ₹1,000 for the school van per month and suddenly we were told that the fees have been hiked to ₹1,200. The reason given was the fuel hike and as both of us parents are working, we have to pay the hiked fees,” he said.
Due to the steep hike in fuel prices in recent times, all services and products across the country have been impacted. Right from school buses, vans and auto-rickshaws to even snack centres and food mess services, all have increased their rates. As a large number of students come and study in Pune, they all are completely dependent on these snack centres and food mess services.
“We have increased rates by around ₹5 to ₹ 20 per food item. For instance, earlier, we used to sell a plate of poha for ₹15 which has now increased to ₹20. We cannot afford to run the business in such conditions, as the rates of all the raw materials, oil and labour, too, have increased,” said Mandar Pattashety, an owner of a snack centre in the Navi peth area.
The condition of food mess owners is similar. Anant Dixit, a manager at one of the food mess services for students in city, said, “Running a food mess for students has become difficult. Daily, the rates of vegetables are increasing and all other raw materials too have become costlier. We are ready to drop down our student count but we cannot afford losses now. So, the rates have increased by around 20% at our food mess,” said Dixit.
{{/usCountry}}The condition of food mess owners is similar. Anant Dixit, a manager at one of the food mess services for students in city, said, “Running a food mess for students has become difficult. Daily, the rates of vegetables are increasing and all other raw materials too have become costlier. We are ready to drop down our student count but we cannot afford losses now. So, the rates have increased by around 20% at our food mess,” said Dixit.
{{/usCountry}}Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra transport vehicle owners and drivers association, said, “All our association members are in trouble due to increased fuel prices, and the most impacted business is that of school buses and vans. Due to the pandemic, all the buses were standing for two years and we are now resuming work. This fuel hike is troubling us and so, we have increased the fees by around 20 to 25% for the next academic year.”