Kolkata: The state govt on Monday rolled out subsidised onions at Rs 35 a kg from 50 designated points across Kolkata to provide relief to consumers.
Agricultural marketing minister Dilip Ghosh flagged off several trucks carrying onions packed in 2-kg bags for distribution across the city. Under the arrangement, the department is procuring onions through NAFED at Rs 35 per kg and selling them to consumers at the same price, without adding any margin. Officials said each packet will contain 2 kg of onions, costing consumers Rs 70 per bag.
“We are trying our best so that onions don’t pinch the pockets of common consumers,” said Ghosh. A senior officer said the NAFED tie-up would allow the state to source onions at a controlled price and ensure the benefit reaches consumers. The initiative follows an agreement between the state agricultural marketing department and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).