Tamil Nadu govt sells onions at Rs 35 per kg to counter price rise

To combat soaring market prices, the Tamil Nadu government is selling onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg at ration shops. The move follows pressure from opposition parties over rising inflation of essential commodities.

Tamil Nadu Sells Subsidised Onions Amid Price Rise

The Tamil Nadu government will sell onions at Rs 35 per kg through 8,739 ration shops in urban areas from Thursday (September 3) to check soaring prices.

The scheme will cover around 80 lakh family cardholders in the first phase, with each family entitled to one kg of onions. The government has procured 1000 tonnes of onions through NAFED and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation.

Onions are currently selling at Rs 56 to Rs 60 per kg in the open market due to higher transport costs, adverse weather and reduced arrivals from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Tamil Nadu Food Minister P Venkatraman on Thursday launched the state government's subsidised onion sale programme at a ration shop in Alwarpet in Chennai.

Opposition Flags Inflation, Demands Action

The announcement comes days after opposition parties and TVK’s allies raised the inflation issue through a special call attention motion in the assembly.

Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed concern over the rise in the prices of onion and pulses and called for a special consultative meeting involving the Chief Minister and Food Minister to find a lasting solution to the price rise issue.

Slamming the TVK government, the DMK leader said, "Prices of essential commodities like rice, oil and pulses have gone up, severely affecting the public. Ever since this government came to power, prices of essential commodities have risen sharply. In May, one kg of onion was Rs 40; now it is Rs 80. Toor dal was Rs 120 in May; now it is Rs 160. People are suffering seeing this rise. The government should take immediate steps to control it."

He also flagged that the Left parties protested over the issue on Thursday. He said, "Yesterday, Communist party members held a protest over the price rise of essential commodities. A special consultative meeting involving the Chief Minister, Food Minister and others should be convened to find a lasting solution to the price rise issue; I draw the attention of the House."

A calling attention motion is a procedure whereby a member calls the attention of a Minister to a matter of urgent public importance.

The hike in the prices of onion and sugar has stirred a row across the nation.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)