Now, get cheap sugar, dal at Mother Dairy booths
NEW DELHI: Delhiites can expect some relief from the rising prices of sugar and pulses. From next week, the city government will start selling
four varieties of pulses, rajma and peas at wholesale rates from 400 Mother Dairy booths. It's also working on a plan to sell sugar at wholesale prices from these booths.
Sources in the food and civil supply department said they were working out sugar prices and talking to Centre on getting the city's quota of sugar to start the scheme. ``Since there is major fluctuation in sugar prices, we felt the need to sell it at wholesale prices. But we need to get the sugar from the central government. As soon as we get the supply, the scheme will start,'' Delhi food and civil supply minister Haroon Yusuf told TOI.
With UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi writing to agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to take necessary steps to arrest the spiralling sugar prices, Delhi is hopeful of getting support from the Centre.
Yusuf said that the sale of pulses, rajma and peas from Mother Dairy would start from next week. He said the decision has been taken to ensure that the items are made available to consumers at places of their convenience. Once this scheme starts, the present scheme of sale of pulses at 70 points will be scrapped.
``We found that the sale at many such outlets was dismal and the general complaint was that people found it difficult to find them. Moreover, they complained that there was no benefit in driving 5-6 km for a few kgs of pulses. That's why we thought of selling these essential items from Mother Dairy outlets,'' said a senior department official.
He added that the Mother Dairy had consented to the proposal. Since last month, the government has been selling pulses like arhar, malka, urad and chana at 70 retail outlets across the city to curb spiralling prices in the open market.
The government recently decided to include more items such as rajma, and pea.
``Since people usually go to Mother Dairy booths for milk and vegetables in the morning, selling these items from there would come as a big relief to people. The difference between wholesale and retail prices is approximately 25-30%. We will continue this till there is complete correction in the prices of these essential commodities,'' Yusuf said.
Source ::Times of india
