Delhi govt steps in, to sell onions at ₹23.90 per kilogram; BJP cries foul
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the Delhi government will be selling onions at ₹23.90 per kilo through the 400 chosen fair price shops in the city and 70 mobile vans starting Saturday.
Kejriwal also said that the government will set a per transaction limit of 5 kilos per individual for onions to be sold in cheaper rates.
The announcement to sell subsidized onions comes 15 days after the Centre directed the Delhi government to take the key kitchen staple from its buffer stock and sell at a maximum retail price of ₹23.90 per kilo, through its civil supplies department and ration shops.
The Centre pegged Delhi’s average onion requirement at 350 tonnes per day. But, senior government officials said, transportation had turned out to be an issue and tenders were floated last week.
“Price of onion has touched ₹60-80 in most retail markets in the city, depending on the quality and location. We are trying to ensure that onions do not end up burning holes in the pockets of residents,” said Kejriwal in a press conference.
He further said, “Onions will be sold in selected fair price shops and mobile vans between 10am and 5pm.”
Kejriwal added that the government will continue selling onions at the same price till the market rates stabilise. More fair price shops and mobile vans will be added in the list if the situation does not improve.
The CM said adequate measures will be taken to keep check on potential hoarding and potential re-selling of subsidised onions.
For the first five days, Delhi government has placed five orders for procuring 1 lakh kilos of onions per day from the Centre’s buffer stock, that will be loaded from Nasik in Maharashtra where the government has sent two officials for quality check, Kejriwal said.
“Size of future orders will be ascertained on the basis of changes observed in the market in the first five days and the potential drop in demand during Navratri [which begins on September 29],” said Kejriwal.
POLITICS STARTS Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari on Friday accused the Delhi government of “making profits” from onion sale.
“The Centre is providing onions for ₹15.90 per kg and the Delhi government is selling it at ₹23 per kg. It is shameful that they are making profit out of a crisis,” said Tiwari, who is a Lok Sabha MP from North-east Delhi.
Responding to the allegation, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “An MP is expected to know basic facts… Both procurement and selling rates have been set by the Centre and we will be happy if he could help in reducing them further.”
Elaborating on the rates, Kejriwal said in the press conference that onions will be procured from the Centre’s buffer stock at ₹15.60 per kiloand the difference between the selling price and procurement price will provide for a commission of ₹4 per kilo for the fair price shop and mobile van shop owners for expected normal loss and cost of transportation.