Union Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Sharad Pawar sounds most honest when it comes to the issue of lowering of prices of onion. He said that prices will not come down soon and was soon criticized by ministers of different states including Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit.
Despite tall claims and cosmetic display by the govt, prices of onion have remained high hovering between Rs 60 to Rs 90 per kg. Now again, Delhi Minister Haroon Yusuf says that through 400 outlets of NAFED, Mother dairy and NCCF onion will be sold at the rate of Rs 35 per kg from Tuesday.
The current market rate of onion in Delhi is Rs 60-65. Earlier also, Delhi govt made a bid to sell cheap onion through its outlets but the prices were soon revised quoting high wholesale rate. How long this fresh exercise would continue could be any body’s guess.
It is said that central government has given heavy subsidy to NAFED and NCCF to sell onion at the rate of Rs 35 kg. But the interesting part is that this subsidy is not being announced by the Centre but by the civil supply minister of Delhi Haroon Yusuf !
How long this cat and mouse game will continue-can be answered best, perhaps by Pawar himself. As populist Delhi govt is out to make populist announcements only, so far as onion prices are concerned.