Sankranti Bonanza: govt moves to rein in vegetable prices

The state government on Wednesday announced a Sankranti festival bonanza for the consumers to buy vegetables, including onions, at reasonable prices.

The state government has reviewed the situation arising out of the price rise and decided to make arrangements for supply of vegetables and onions at lower prices.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has issued instructions to all concerned to affect the supplies at

reasonable rates.

Farmers raising the crops of vegetables in rural areas will have the transport facility to reach the urban centres along with their produce without the intervention of the middlemen.

The Chief Minister also ordered that supply of onions and its sale should be affected through 9 Rythu

Bazaars spread over the city.

The onion prices shot up following their scarcity. Now transport facilities would be provided to the producer to sell their commodities at reasonable rates direct to the consumers.

Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, who is on the Cabinet Sub-Committee on prices also attended the review meeting and was asked to make available RTC buses for the farmers' transport.

After the review meeting with the Chief Minister, Civil Supplies Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu told media persons at the Secretariat on Wednesday that, as the Sankranti festival was nearing, efforts were being made to facilitate the consumers to buy vegetables and onions at reasonable rates. Through marketing intervention a mix of vegetables packages will be kept for sale in the Rythu Bazaars. One pack for Rs 99 and another for Rs 49 will be available at Rythu Bazaars from today, informed the Minister.

Besides the city, this system will be implemented in all the districts.

Asked about the Rs 2 a kg rice scheme, the Minister replied saying that it was the main scheme and government was trying to identify the eligible beneficiaries. Those ineligible in lakhs have been

identified. Over 7 lakh applications were received seeking transfer from pink to white ration cards. As many as 5 lakh people have been identified as eligible for white cards which was recommended to the Chief Minister by the cabinet subcommittee.

Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy will take a final decision for issue of cards to them, the Minister stated.