Centre rolls out mobile vans selling onions at Rs 35 per kg in these cities; see list of localities

The central government on Thursday launched a retail sale of onions at a fixed price of Rs 35 per kilogram across select localities in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai, effective from the same day. Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi flagged off the mobile vans selling onion at the said price. The central onion offer stock of the kitchen staple stands at 4.7 lakh tonnes from the rabi crop, said Joshi. 

As part of the scheme, food cooperatives NCCF and NAFED deployed their mobile vans in 40 vicinities located in the NCR and Mumbai on Thursday, according to an official statement.

Keeping food inflation under control is a priority of the central government of India, with several direct interventions through price stabilisation measures having played an important role in easing inflation, said Joshi. 

“The onion buffer stock available with us is 4.7 lakh tonnes from the rabi crop. The Price Stabilisation Fund which was started under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi aims at intervening in the market when price of essential commodities increase,” Joshi said. 

He also said that the retail sale of onions will provide relief to the consumers across the country.

"The targeted disposal of onion is being started with (the) retail sale through outlets and mobile vans of NCCF and NAFED, e-commerce platforms and outlets of Kendriya Bhandar and SAFAL in major consumption centres. The quantity and disposal channels for onion will be enhanced, deepened, intensified and diversified as per the trend in onion prices," said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. 

The Department of Consumer Affairs is monitoring the daily prices of 38 commodities, including onions, reported from 550 centres across the country, it added.

Localities covered in Delhi NCR and Mumbai with effect from September 5 

The government said that agencies will cover Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Raipur, and Bhubaneshwar in a week, followed by pan-India distribution by the thuird week of September.

Agencies are also tying up with other cooperatives and big retail chains across the country, the ministry noted.