Kolkata: The state government has started selling onions at a subsidised rate from 19 Sufal Bangla stalls in the city to provide relief to the common people from the alarmingly high market price of the vegetable.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been concerned over the skyrocketing prices of onion in various markets and also paid a surprise visit to Jadubabu's bazaar on Monday, where she interacted with the buyers.
She came to know that no Sufal Bangla stalls were available at Jadubabu's bazaar area, where people could get onions at a cheaper rate. Banerjee then instructed the officials from various departments to ensure that the people get onions at subsidised rate at all the Sufal Bangla outlets.
Following the Chief Minister's instruction, the officials of the Agriculture and Marketing department made the arrangement for a Sufal Bangla mobile van at Jadubabu's bazaar.
The Bengal government's move of selling vegetables through all of its Sufal Bangla stalls at subsidised rates has helped people of the state breathe a sigh of relief.
Onions are being sold at Rs 59 per kg from 136 Sufal Bangla stalls in various marketplace areas across the state, including 19 in the city. Following the instruction of the Chief Minister, the Food and Supply department has also started selling onions from various ration shops with the help of some self-help groups.
It has been learnt that as many as 835 ration shops across the state have been selling onions at Rs 59 per kg, where onions are still being sold at Rs 150 per kg in various markets. Various state agencies are buying onions from the market at an approximate price of Rs 100 per kg and providing a subsidy of Rs 41 per kg.
People in the state, mainly from the lower-middle class background, have been facing a very hard time after the prices of essential commodities including potatoes went up in recent times. The state government's decision has come as a major sigh of relief to them.
Sufal Bangla stalls were introduced to ensure that common people get fresh vegetables and other essential commodities at lower prices. The stalls are mainly run by different Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which collect vegetables directly from farmers and sell them in the stalls at cheaper prices.