This will help in stabilizing prices in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
The government has made special arrangements to ensure that there is no shortage of taste in the dishes during the festival season. In order to keep the rising prices of onion under control in view of the festivals, it is going to send 1,600 tonnes of onion from the buffer stock by a special train named Kanda Express. According to language news, this special train will leave from Lasalgaon railway station in Maharashtra and will reach Kishanganj railway station in Delhi on October 20. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare made this announcement on Thursday. This will be the first initiative to use rail for onion.
Will help stabilize prices
According to the report, the government is hopeful that this supply will help stabilize prices in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), where onion from the buffer stock is currently being sold at a subsidized rate of Rs 35 per kg. At present, retail prices of onion have reached Rs 75 per kg in many cities. Khare said that this is a historic initiative. He said similar arrangements would be made in Lucknow, Varanasi and north-eastern states including Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.
Cost of transportation of a train from Nashik to Delhi
The secretary said that to reduce wholesale prices, onion will be auctioned at the current market rates. This decision is a cost effective and efficient solution. He said the government is also in talks with logistics company Concorde for sealed container transportation to reduce losses. Transporting one train (equivalent to 56 trucks) from Nashik to Delhi by rail costs Rs 70.20 lakh, while by road it costs Rs 84 lakh. Thus, there is a saving of Rs 13.80 lakh per train.
Government selling onion at concessional rates
Let us tell you, from September 5, the government will stock it through various means including mobile vans, National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) shops, e-commerce platform, Mother Dairy’s Safal shops and central stores. Onion is being sold at concessional rates. Stepping up its action to bring down retail prices, the number of mobile vans will be increased from 600 to 1,000 before Diwali.
The Secretary said that out of 4.7 lakh tonnes of onion buffer stock, 91,960 tonnes have been allotted to NCCF and NAFED. Besides, 86,000 tonnes have been sent to various states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur. The average purchase price of onion from stores is Rs 28 per kg.
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