Tea at ₹11! Food prices hiked at Secretariat canteen and Indian Coffee House

Thiruvananthapuram: In response to the rising cost of essential commodities, food prices have been significantly increased at the Secretariat canteen and the Indian Coffee House located within the Secretariat premises.

While the Indian Coffee House outlets elsewhere had already raised prices, the branch inside the Secretariat had so far kept prices unchanged.

However, the latest revision sees a sharp increase.

The price of special tea at the Secretariat canteen has been raised to ₹11. The subsidised meal rate has gone up by ₹5.

Staff say prices of most food items have been hiked by 20 to 30 per cent.

At the Indian Coffee House, the subsidised meal provided to employees now costs ₹42. The Public Administration Department, in its order approving the hike, cited increased prices of milk, vegetables, cooking gas, and coconut as the reason.

Meanwhile, the Secretariat Action Council has voiced strong opposition to the price hike. Convenor M.S. Irshad said the decision is a blow to government employees already reeling under the burden of rising living costs across Kerala.