October 8: The government is all set to operate fair-price shops from today (Sunday) to facilitate the general public during the upcoming festivals of Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

Such shops selling daily essentials at reasonable prices would be run at various places across the country.

The state-run Food Management and Trading Company, the Salt Trading Corporation, and the Dairy Development Board will be operating the fair-price outlets till November 19.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MOICS) informed that the shops would be operated considering the huge demand for daily essentials in the run-up to the festivals. The initiative is also aimed at curbing exorbitant price hikes of goods and providing the essentials to the people in a convenient manner, the ministry added.

The fair-price shops are run by the government bodies during the time of festivals to give relief to the public because the private sector has been found charging exorbitant prices especially during the festive  season.

The government has prepared to set up fair-price shops at 35 different locations in the Kathmandu Valley. The government will be operating mobile shops as well.

Similarly, other districts to have the fair-price outlets are Morang, Jhapa, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Diktel, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Siraha, Janakpur, Parsa, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, Tanahu, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Rupandehi, Banke, Bardiya, Rukum East and Rukum West.

Similarly, Rolpa, Surkhet, Gulmi, Dailekh, Dolpa, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot, Jumla, Mugu, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, Darchula and Kanchanpur will also have fair-price outlets. The Food Management and Trading Company will open fair-price shops at 48 places of 42 districts, according to MOICS Spokesperson Sharmila Neupane.

The stalls will provide a discount of Rs 7 per kg of all sorts of rice, pulses, flour, and wheat, while the consumers will get Rs 10 off per kg of meat. -- RSS