New Delhi [India], September 1 (ANI): Amid concerns over rising onion prices and availability in Delhi, the government has stepped in to provide relief to consumers. The Centre will supply 1,000 metric tonnes of onions to the capital, which will be sold through fair price shops at ₹35 per kg.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Delhi government is closely monitoring onion prices and availability and will not allow any shortage to develop in the capital. The focus, she said, is to ensure that essential food items remain available to people at affordable prices.
To make the subsidised onions more accessible, the government will also deploy one mobile van in each of Delhi’s 13 districts. These vans will move through different areas and sell onions at ₹35 per kg, particularly helping residents who may not have easy access to fair price shops.
The move is aimed at increasing the availability of affordable onions across the city and ensuring that more people can benefit from the government’s intervention.
CM Rekha Gupta said the government will continue to monitor the situation and take necessary steps to prevent any shortage or sharp increase in onion prices. The Centre’s decision to supply 1,000 metric tonnes of onions is expected to strengthen availability and provide some relief to consumers in Delhi.
Earlier, on August 25, a review meeting on the availability and prices of onions and sugar in Delhi was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The meeting noted that there is currently no shortage of onions or sugar in the capital. However, if prices rise further, the Delhi government will ensure that residents do not have to bear the additional burden.
According to the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office, in such a situation, the government will procure onions and sugar from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), a Central government institution, and arrange to make them available at various locations across the capital. These items will be sold based on the prices at which they are procured from NAFED, while the Delhi government will bear the cost of transportation and other related expenses.
The department has been asked to put in place arrangements to monitor the supply of onions received by Delhi, ensure that it reaches the market properly and prevent hoarding, along with taking necessary action where required, the CMO said. (ANI)
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