Govt to run fair price shops to ease supply of daily essentials

: At a time when countries are gripped by the deadly coronavirus pneumonia, the government said it is aware of possible impact on the supply system owing to COVID-19. During a meeting of the Industry and Commerce, and Labour and Consumers Welfare Committee of the Federal Parliament held in Singha Durbar on Tuesday, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta pledged to avert any unfavourable situation in the supplies of daily essentials.

The government is aware of the possible crisis of daily essentials adding that the officials are working for maintaining balance in the supply system. He also shared that preparations were ongoing for running fair price shops through the mobilization of the government mechanisms, as an attempt to make the daily essentials more accessible.

According to Bhatta, Food Management and Trading Company Limited and Salt Trading Corporation are expected to run such fair price shops and the daily essentials would be supplied to the people through mobile van.

Minister Bhatta also said that the government would strictly control the black marketing and the market monitoring would be scaled up in all 77 districts in the leadership of Chief District Officers.

Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Baikuntha Aryal shared that there is sufficient stock of the daily essentials, while stating that the medicines in the country can meet eight months’ demand.

Lawmakers Devendra Poudel, Sujata Pariyar, Amrita Agrahari, Som Prasad Pandey, Bhimsen Das Pradhan and others suggested that the government should work to end misconception and terror surrounding the society about COVID-19, book the black marketers and make due arrangements for the supplies of commodities amid the threat of coronavirus pneumonia.