In the wake of the price rise of petrol, diesel and the cooking gas, Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh has issued directives to his cabinet colleagues to be austere especially avoiding foreign tours except in unavoidable circumstances.
Already the Finance Minister, Mr.P.Chidambaram, issued directives to his ministry to avoid meetings in the five star hotels.
Similarly a number of Ministers had cancelled their foreign tours to comply with the PM’s directives.Mr.Mani Sankar Iyer cancelled his US trip.
Three more Union Ministers joined their colleagues in canceling their foreign tours, heeding to PM Manmohan Singh’s call for austerity measures.Overseas Indians affairs minister Vayalar Ravi and Minister of State for HRD D.Purandeshwari called off their visits to the US and Canada.
Science and Technology minister Kapil Sibal cancelled the second leg of his three-nation foreign tour.
Of course all the above austerity measures resorted to by the ministers will be helpful to share the concerns of the common people.
But the moot question is who will share the additional financial burden of the common man caused by the fuel price hikes? Is there any remedy ?