No shortage of onion, sugar: Govt

Even as citizens of the national Capital are shelling out more for onions and sugar due to a sharp price spurt in these essentials, the Delhi Government on Tuesday claimed there was currently no shortage of these items. However, if prices rise further, the Delhi Government will ensure that residents do not have to bear the additional burden.

At a review meeting of Delhi Government’s Food and Supplies department, chief minister Rekha Gupta assessed the availability of sugar and onion in the Capital at a review meeting, and warned of strict action against hoarders. The chief minister said the Government will monitor the availability of sugar and onion and procure them from NAFED in case prices rise further to ensure people get them at affordable rates. The chief minister further directed the department to prepare a detailed plan.  At the meeting, officials said there is currently no shortage of onion or sugar in the Capital.

However, if prices rise further, the Delhi Government will procure onion and sugar from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), a Central Government body, and arrange to make them available at various locations across the Capital, a statement from the chief minister’s office said.

These items will be sold based on the prices at which they are procured from NAFED, while the Delhi Government will bear the cost of transportation and other related expenses, it said.  The all-India average retail price of onion jumped more than 28 per cent in a month to Rs 44.72/kg on August 25, up from Rs 34.80 per kg on July 25.

Department of Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on Tuesday said the Government will sell onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg in the national Capital, a discount of around 36 per cent from the prevailing average retail price, with the help of 800 tonnes of fresh vegetable supplies reaching here on Wednesday through the first ‘Kanda Express’.

Khare said onions will be retailed via Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar stores in the national capital. Bulk onions are also being transported through dedicated railway rakes to four other centres — Chennai, Ernakulam, Madurai and Guwahati, she said on a social media platform. The onion being transported to these consuming centres is a buffer stock maintained at Nasik, Maharashtra. The stock is being released to check price rise.

Among major cities, retail onion prices on Tuesday stood at Rs 60 per kg in Chennai, Rs 55 per kg in Delhi, Rs 60 per kg in Kolkata and Rs 48 per kg in Mumbai. Sugar continued its upward march on Tuesday, rising by about Re 1 per kg to nearly Rs 64 in the retail market as recent government measures to curtail the surge take effect. On Monday, the average price was Rs 63.05 per kg.

According to data compiled by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the all-India average rate of sugar stood at Rs 63.97 per kg on August 25, a 31 per cent increase from Rs 48.81 per kg a month back.