THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The subsidised vegetable stores opened by the Consumerfed on Friday in the state are drawing huge crowds. Women in large numbers thronged the stalls, which came as a reprieve for them at a time when the market prices are sky-rocketing. Besides a state-level store, district-level stalls have also been opened to check price rise of vegetables during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Transport and Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar inaugurated the state-level stall opened on the LMS compound. Fifteen vegetables are available at the stall at prices much lower than the market rates. They are onion, potato, cabbage, small onion, tomato, beans, carrot, beetroot, banana, brinjal, drum stick, cucumber, lady’s finger, green chilly and ginger. Subsidy of 15 to 67 per cent is offered at the stalls, said Freddy, district coordinator of the fair. The stall is open from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm. The maximum quantity of all items to be sold to a customer at a time is fixed. “The stall is a boon for people like us,” said Syamala of Karakulam. Syamala, a housewife, and her two neighbours had come to the stall in the morning itself fearing heavy rush in the coming days. “The government should open more stalls in the rural areas to effectively rein in the market prices,” said Prabhakaran, a security staff, who had come from Kudappanakkunnu. The decision to open subsidised vegetable stalls to check the rocketing prices of vegetables and provisions was taken at a high-level meeting convened in the capital by the Chief Minister the other day. The Consumerfed will open more stores in the state which will be open till December 24. Four stalls will be opened in the taluk-level on November 24. Stalls in the Assembly constituency-level will be opened on December 1. All the Triveni Supermarket outlets will begin vegetable sales on December 5. The special vegetable stalls and the Christmas fairs to be opened by the Supplyco are expected to control the escalating prices of essential commodities.
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