In order to allay consumers´ anxiety over soaring prices, the government has opened fair price shops at different locations inside the valley.
Salt Trading Corporation (STC), Nepal Food Corporation (NFC), National Trading Limited (NTL), and Nepal Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) have opened eight fair price shops in the Kathmandu Valley. [break]
The same organizations have also launched fair price shops across the country. The fair price shops have given priority to staples like salt, sugar, milk, rice, among others.
The fair price shops have been opened at NTL premises in Teku, Singha Durbar, STC premises in Kalimati, NFC premises at Thapathali, STC premises at Pepsicola, vegetable market at Balkhu, Laxmi Department Store at Bhaktapur and Jadibuti. The fair price shops have already started offering goods at below market rates after the service was inaugurated by Commerce Secretary Lal Mani Joshi on September 17. The fair price shops will operate till November 10.
“Our main motive is to support the people during the festive occasions,” says Krishna Hari Banskota, secretary at Ministry of Finance (MoF). “We are also conducting market inspections every day in order to curb black marketeering.”
According to Banskota, a monitoring team led by him, is monitoring not only fair price shops but also general stores in the Kathmandu Valley.
“The number of customers visiting fair price shops is increasing day by day, which is really good,” says Banskota. “We just want that people to take maximum benefits from the fair price shops.”
Discounts offered at fair price shops
Sugar: Rs 5 per kg
Salt: Rs 2 per kg
DDC ghee: Rs 10 per kg
Flour: Rs 2 per kg
Cooking Oil: Rs 10 per liter
Machinery (parts): 40% discount
Tools: 11.5% discount
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The government should open such shops in more localities because it´s difficult for aged people like us to travel such a long distance to get discounted items. And the difference in the price of commodities compared to the market is not much.
All the commodities come in packets so we cannot be sure about the weight then and there. To attract more people the government should focus on these things, otherwise, these kinds of fair price shops will not serve the goal with which they have been established.
Punya Shakya, 56
Teku
Every year, I visit fair price shops run by the government in order to help the public during our biggest festivals of Dashian and Tihar. I come here not only for the discount but also believing that they provide commodities of good qualities.
Today, we are very much familiar with adulteration in food items. In fact nothing is safe in our locality to eat but during such occasion they provide us good commodities. Our government is not so much active to take action against such shopkeepers sell low quality goods.
Batuk Kumar Sharma, 85
Swayambhu
These kinds of fair price shops are really beneficial for the public because they offer discounts on every commodity. It´s very hard to survive today as everything is so expensive. The price of commodity is increasing day by day.
If these kinds of fair price shops are opened once every month, it will be easier for us to survive. I have brought six kg sugar and three packet of salt from here. I will come again after Dashain in order to buy commodities for Tihar.
Rita Shrestha, 60
Sanepa
Interview
Umesh Kumar Shrestha
A senior assistant at National Trading Limited (NTL) who runs a fair price shop situated at the ground floor of the NTL.
How many customers visit your shop in a day?
The flow of customer is increasing day by day, which shows they like our service.
Which items people buy the most?
Salt and sugar are always in high demand. Most of the people come to buy the two things only.
How difficult it is to deal with customers?
It´s not so difficult. People know how much discount they get here.
Are they satisfied with the discount price?
Yes, I think everyone is satisfied because the crowd of people is increasing day by day. We haven´t got any complaints regarding any commodity or price.
What should be done to attract more people?
More of such fair price shops should be opened at different areas of the Kathmandu Valley so that people would know about it and take maximum benefits from such shops. Today, many people are still unaware about our services and shops.
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