States » EastPosted at: Sep 17 2026 9:27PM


BJD targets Odisha govt over rising inflation, essential commodity prices

Bhubaneswar, Sep 17 (UNI) The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday alleged that the Odisha government has failed to contain the sustained rise in prices of essential commodities, pointing to the State’s retail inflation rate of 5.52 per cent in August, significantly higher than the national rate of 4.82 per cent.
BJD spokesperson Mihir Ray, in a statement, said Odisha’s inflation rate had remained consistently higher than the national average since the BJP came to power in the State, alleging that the trend reflected the government’s failure to effectively control price rise.
Citing the latest Consumer Price Index data for August 2026, Ray said while India’s retail inflation stood at 4.82 per cent, Odisha recorded an inflation rate of 5.52 per cent. Official data put India’s August retail inflation at 4.82 per cent, with rural and urban inflation at 5.23 per cent and 4.31 per cent, respectively.
Ray said Odisha ranked fifth among States with the highest retail inflation in August, behind Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. According to the data cited by the BJD, inflation in rural Odisha stood at 5.90 per cent, compared with 4.47 per cent in urban areas.
He said the disparity between rural and urban inflation showed that people in rural areas were facing greater price pressure, particularly from the rising cost of household essentials.
Ray further claimed that during 2024-25, Odisha’s inflation rate was 6.0 per cent against the national inflation rate of 4.6 per cent. He alleged that Odisha’s inflation had remained above the national average and that rural inflation had consistently exceeded urban inflation.
The BJD spokesperson said the rise in prices of essential commodities, including sugar, onions and edible oil, had substantially increased the burden on consumers and adversely affected household budgets.
He alleged that the State Government had shown little urgency in taking effective measures to check the price rise and provide relief to consumers.
The BJD also criticised the State Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, alleging that it had failed to adequately respond to the persistent rise in prices of essential commodities.
The latest national CPI data showed that retail inflation in India rose from 4.45 per cent in July to 4.82 per cent in August, while food inflation increased to 5.95 per cent during the month.
UNI DP
Tags: #BJD targets Odisha govt over rising inflation# essential commodity prices
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