Delhiites would shortly get cheap onions, because of the first consignments of onions procured by NAFED from Nashik that has reached Delhi on Monday. Onions will be sold through 380 Safal outlets in the national capital.
Delhi Food & Supplies Commissioner S.S Yadav on Monday informed that after instructions from LG Najeeb Jung, it was decided to substantially improve upon the availability of onions and potatoes in Delhi.
He had directed NAFED to procure onions from Maharashtra for sale through Safal outlets. Raj Niwas had also directed Safal to double the sale of the vegetables from 60 MT to 120 MT per day.
‘The prices of onions and potatoes are stable. Onions were sold at Safal outlets at Rs. 20.90 per kg. on Monday while potatoes were sold at Rs. 24.50 per kg. The prices of onions and potatoes in other retail outlets across the city has also not witnessed any change,’ said Yadav.
‘There is also no shortfall in arrival of onions and potatoes in Delhi and current arrivals are more than what people require. The arrival of onions in Azardpur Mandi was 1522 MT on Saturday and 1564 MT on Sunday respectively. The arrival of potatoes was around 1000 MT daily for the last two days,’ he added.
Delhi Development Commissioner Puneet Goel said that the government has a decided to carry out the requisite amendment(s) in the Delhi Agriculture Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1998, to enable direct purchase of fruits and vegetables by bulk buyers, institutions, RWAs, exporters, processors and retail chains without having to route the produce through the APMC markets for which the process for de-regulation of marketing of fruits and vegetables.
Goel said that in pursuance and directions of the Lieutenant Governor, from 20 June onwards, the traders of the three mandis in Delhi viz. (APMC) Azadpur, Keshopur and Shahdara (Gazipur) have started selling onions/potatoes at subsidized prices through 30 mobile vans in different parts of the city.
The areas covered through these vans include Mukherjee Nagar, Mukundpur, Malka Ganj, Rohini, Shalimar Bagh, PItampura, Ashok Vihar, Burari, Sant Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Chander Vihar, Swaroop Nagar, University Campus, Jahangir Puri, Paschim Vihar, Kirti Nagar, Vikas Nagar, Vikaspuri, Fateh Nagar, Madipur, Rajouri Garden, Tihar Village, Hari Nagar, Mayapuri, Jhilmil, Mandawali, Seemapuri, Nandnagri, Kalyanpuri, Kondali, Khichripur, Mayur Vihar Phase I, BIhari Colony, Laxmi Nagar, Ram Nagar and Patparganj. Initially the price of onion sold through through these mobile vans was Rs. 22 per kg which has been further reduced to Rs.18 per kg.