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Delhi residents will soon be able to buy onions at Rs 35 per kg as the Centre is set to provide 1,000 metric tonnes of onions to the national capital,
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. The onions will be sold through fair price shops and mobile vans across all 13 districts of Delhi, according to a statement from the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office.
Onions To Be Sold Through Vans And Fair Price Shops
The government will use mobile vans to take the cheaper onions to areas where residents may not have easy access to fair price shops.
Onion prices have increased in Delhi in recent weeks due to crop damage caused by heavy rains. Onions are currently being sold in retail markets at around Rs 50-60 per kg.
The Delhi government has decided to make onions available at a lower price to provide relief to consumers.
Govt Says No Onion Shortage Will Be Allowed
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government would closely monitor onion prices and availability across the city. The Delhi government has also assured residents that it will take steps to prevent any shortage of onions in the capital. The CMO said the government is working to ensure adequate supplies of essential food items while keeping prices affordable for residents.
Gupta said her government would not allow an onion shortage in Delhi under any circumstances and that the administration was keeping a close watch on the market situation.
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.
(With inputs from agencies)
