April 12: The Surkhet branch of Food Management and Trading Company is all set to bring fair price shops in operation through cooperatives to prevent shortage of food and to control the price hike. In the first phase, the company will be targeting the citizens of Karnali.

The company informed that it will provide food at subsidized rates in remote areas. Chief Executive Officer of the company Mohan Prakash Chand said that necessary homework is being done for the same.

He said that food would be supplied to the remote areas for 12 months with the support of the World Food Program (WFP) to control inflation. He said that food supply would be arranged by helicopter, airplane and horses as well as mules in collaboration with all three tiers of government as transportation is the main problem for the operation of fair price shops in remote areas.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Manager of the company, Maniraj Khanal, said that consultations with cooperatives are underway for the smooth supply of food across the country.

Similarly, Chief of Sales and Distribution Department Bhim Bahadur Thapa said that fair price shops will be brought into operation as soon as possible to control the rising price of food items. He informed that he reached out to the Council of Ministers for approval by making necessary acts and rules for the operation of fair price shops. He said that the fair price shop will be brought into operation through cooperatives after getting the approval.

Representatives of cooperatives demanded to increase the subsidy for operating fair price shops. They also demanded that the transportation cost should be made available and the responsibility of transportation should be given to the cooperatives.