Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday accused the BJP government in Odisha of failing to contain rising prices of essential commodities, alleging that households, particularly in rural areas, were bearing the brunt of inflation.
Citing the latest data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), BJD media coordinator Lenin Mohanty said Odisha recorded a retail inflation rate of 7.17 per cent in October 2026, significantly higher than the national average of 6.09 per cent.
The state ranked fifth among major states with the highest inflation, with rural inflation at 7.74 per cent and urban inflation at 5.63 per cent, he said.
Mohanty claimed that soaring food prices had placed an additional burden on rural households. Onion prices had surged by around 116 per cent, garlic by 61 per cent and lemons by 47 per cent, he added.
Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, the BJD leader said the government’s promise of “Double Engine, Double Development” had instead translated into “Double Deception” for the people.
The opposition party demanded immediate intervention to rein in the prices of essential food commodities and provide relief to rural consumers.
It also urged the state Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department to take proactive measures to address the inflationary pressure, alleging that the government was more focused on publicity than on the economic difficulties faced by ordinary people.
