THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 8,000 special markets will operate in the state during the Onam-Bakrid season to ensure availability of essential commodities. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Tuesday. The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) will operate 1,662 stalls and Kerala State Co-operatives Consumers’ Federation Ltd (Consumerfed), 3,500 stalls. The Agriculture Department will open 2,000 markets. In addition to this, the Kudumbasree will run Onam-Bakrid markets in all local bodies.
Thirteen items sold at subsidised rates, free sale-rate products and Sabari brand products will be sold through 995 Maveli stores, 416 supermarkets, 28 people’s bazaars and five hypermarkets. The district headquarters will have Onam-Bakrid fairs and at the Taluk level, 72 Onam-Bakrid Melas.
As many as 78 Onam-Bakrid markets will be operated independently or alongside major outlets. Special mini fairs will be held in panchayats that do not have Supplyco outlets. Steps have also been taken to curb black markets, hoarding and artificially-induced price rises during the festival season, the government said.
ONAM KITS
Free Onam kits will be distributed to 5.95 lakh families this festival season, the government said. All ration card holders will be distributed 1 kg sugar at Rs 22. School students will be issued 5 kg rice each. Tribal families will be issued special Onam kits. Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Thilothaman, Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran, Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar and LSG Minister K T Jaleel attended the meeting.
Home-grown veggies
If things go as planned, Onam shoppers will be able to take home vegetables and fruits mostly grown in the state this festival season. The government expects to procure 39,000 metric tonnes of vegetables locally this year. This includes farmers in all the districts except Idukki. In all 5,000 metric tonnes of vegetables will be procured from the Vattavada and Kanthalloor panchayats of Idukki. According to Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar, the government will sell the vegetables to the public at 30 per cent discount.