For Aamra, a student who is sharing a room with two friends, the high vegetable prices have made her re-think on the decision to cook meat once a week.

'I was tired of eating the usual bhindi (ladies finger) and lauki (gourd) and decided to buy beans. I was shocked when I asked the price of beans - Rs.80 a kilo. I realised I should eat more of non-veg now. Dressed chicken costs Rs.130 a kilo, so there is hardly any difference in the prices. We would eat non-veg once in a while thinking it is more expensive,' said Aamra.

According to Ashok Raj, a vegetable vendor in the wholesale vegetable market in Azadpur, the scanty rainfall is the main reason for the soaring vegetable prices.

'The delay in the monsoon and the scanty rainfall has dried the fields and affected the crops. This in turn has led to a rise in prices of vegetables,' Raj said.

According to the latest estimates of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the seasonal rainfall during this year's monsoon so far has been 43 percent below the long-term average.

Out of India's 36 meteorological sub-divisions, rainfall was deficient or scanty in 29.

The IMD has announced the monsoon in the country to be 'below normal' this year.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar admitted that the delayed monsoon was a 'serious problem' in north India.

Ravi, another vendor, added: 'Apart from the scanty monsoon, the big vegetable outlets are also responsible for the hike in prices because they buy the vegetables directly from farmers at low prices and sell them at double the amount.'