One Lakh Quintal Onion at the rate of Rs. 2 per K.g. Sold through PDS

Bhopal: Dada Rao of Amrai Basti-Baghsewania, Bhopal is one of the persons among the 31 lakh people of the state who has purchased onion at the rate of Rs. 2 per k.g. Head of 5 members’ family, Rao said that 50 kilo onion purchased by him will suffice the need of his family for next 6 months. The 55 years old Dada Rao considers onion purchased by him from the ration at par with market quality. He informed that he used to purchase 1 to 3 k.g. of onion in a week. He was able to purchase only 1 to 2 k.g of onion owing to rate of Rs. 10 to 15 per k.g in the market. He further mentioned that he has not faced any difficulty to purchase 50 k.g. onion at the rate of Rs. 2 per k.g.

Like Dada Rao, Smt. Seema Giri of Amrai Basti-Baghsewania, Ramswaroop Pandit and people who have purchased onion from the ration shops of other settlements said that this is a relief provided by the state government. They have purchased onion necessary for meals at minimal rate of Rs. 2 per k.g. which they used to purchase at the rate of Rs. 10 to 15 per k.g.

Food Commissioner Vivek Porwal informed that 8 lakh 76 thousand metric tonne onion has been purchased from One lakh 50 thousand farmers at the rate of Rs. 8 per k.g. by the State Cooperative Marketing Federation. Around One lakh metric tonne onion from the total of procured onion has been distributed to 31 lakh families through public distribution system. Ten to 50 k.g onion per family has been distributed among the families as per their demand. The PDS families are not bound to take onion from the ration shops. Onion has been auctioned to prevent it from deterioration.-WTN