Fair price shops now open

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 1

Targeting the festive season, Food Management and Trade Company Ltd (FMTCL) and Salt Trading Corporation (STC) have operated fair price shops from today.

The fair price shops offer rice, sugar, pulses, salt, beans, oil, live goats and mountain goats at discounted rate.

According to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS), the fair price outlets have been set up at Kalimati, Koteshwor, Teku, Singhadarbar, Satungal, Thapathali, Nakkhu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur within the Kathmandu valley.

Similarly, 49 other outlets have been established outside the valley.

Meanwhile, Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) has set up its fair price shops at Lainchaur, Newroad, Khumaltar, among other places where the DDC outlets already exist.

Last year, the government had operated a total of 73 fair price shops across the country, with STC operating a total of 35 such outlets, including three mobile outlets, while FMTCL and DDC had operated 23 and 15 shops, respectively, within and outside the valley.

According to the ministry, consumers can get salt at Rs 18 per kg, sugar at Rs 70 per kg and ghee at Rs 870 per kg. Meanwhile, the fair price shops offer discount worth five rupees per kg in rice, Rs 10 per kg on live goats and mountain goats, five rupees per kg on pulses and Rs 10 per kg discount on beans. Likewise, the shops will offer discounts on other food items too.

Considering the pandemic situation, this year the government has also arranged online shopping for consumers. Using the website of concerned firms, consumers can order their groceries and can get home delivery.

For fair price shops, FMTCL will purchase 3,000 goats and mountain goats targeting the Dashain festival. As per the company, 1,400 mountain goats and 1,600 goats will be purchased for the festival. The goats will be purchased from Nepalgunj, Hetauda and Dang, among other districts, while mountain goats will be purchased from Mustang.