Delhi govt flags off mobile vans with onions to ease prices

New Delhi, Aug 28: In a bid to provide onions at subsidised rates, Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai today flagged-off mobile vans from Azadpur Mandi to different parts of the city for the vegetable to be sold at "model price". The model rates will be decided by Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC).

While Rai flagged off 34 vans, 16 vans from Ghazipur, 10 from Okhla and as many from Keshavpur fruit and vegetable markets were flagged-off by senior government officials. "There is no shortage of onions in the wholesale markets of Delhi.

This new scheme is in addition to the Delhi government's ongoing programme of providing onions at a subsidized price of Rs 30 per kilo at 280 Fair Price Shops. "Decision to send vans in all 70 assembly constituencies will remove the fear in minds of the public regarding shortage of onions," Rai said.

As per the government's understanding with the Potato and Onion Merchant Association (POMA), these vans will be selling onions at model rates.

"Government is bearing the cost of the mobile vans and manpower to help wholesale traders sell their stock in open market at Mandi rates, so that there is no shortage of onions in the open market and this will also help in continuing the downward trend in onion prices," Rai said.

PTI