05/10/2024
It has been a long time since I last shopped in Nepal. Going through the aisles of stocked items and looking at the MRP's, I was in a dilemma whether to buy it or let it be. Would I actually need it? Why are things so costly? Even though the prices mentioned were in NPR and I was used to buying things in INR, things seemed much more cheaper there as compared to here. I got frustrated, left out few things from my "to buy list" and carried on thinking. An Amul chocolate which used to cost 200 INR in India was priced at 540 NPR and I could not justify the cost difference. A simple sunscreen which was 220 INR in India was priced at 850 NPR. Another item which I bought regularly in India at 700 INR, the storekeeper told me costed 2450 NPR.
I was amazed, it would cost me less if I decided to go to India and buy those things there itself. That again got me into thinking, that we are paid so less in this country being a medical professional and still I fall into the tax slab of 30%. To top it off whatever I buy here is costing me double. In short I m earning less and paying double with no savings in the process of it all. All of this is a known fact and still we discuss, why are our youths leaving this country? I would say "WHY NOT?"