3500 budget markets to be opened during festival season

The state-run Consumerfed would open 3500 Onam budget markets across Kerala, as part of moves to check price rise of essential commodities during the festival season.
State Minister for Co-operation and Tourism Kadakampally Surendran told reporters that 13 essential items including rice, sugar, coconut oil and pluses, would be supplied at subsidised rates.
Besides this, another 25 products, including biriyani rice and jaggery, would be sold at prices lower than the market price.
Onam Markets would function from August 24 to September 3, Surendran said.
This year 26,000 tonnes of subsidised products at an estimated cost of Rs.120 crore had been purchased and for non-subsidised items Rs 75 crore has been sanctioned, he said.

"This year's Onam and Bakrid with Consumerfed', is the slogan of the Kerala State Cooperatives Consumer Federation Ltd, apex body of consumer co-operatives in the state (Consumerfed), he added.