Kaski. The government has opened a fair price shop in Pokhara with an aim to provide daily essentials to the consumers at a subsidized rate targeting the Dashain, Tihar and other festivals.

The Salt Trading Corporation Gandaki Province office has opened a fair price shop at the office premises of Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara from September 1. The shop is selling sugar, salt, oil, rice and other food items at a subsidized rate compared to the market price, said Sagar Sherchan, chief of the office.

According to him, the fair price shop will be operational till mid-November. “We have opened the shop targeting the Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals as per the government’s policy. This shop will be operational for two months. We have provided goods at a cheaper price than the market price,” he said.

Sugar is available at Rs 100 per kg in fair price shops. A consumer can buy a maximum of six kg of sugar. According to Salt Trading, if sugar is being sold at Rs 140 per kg in the market, consumers will get a discount of Rs 40 per kg if they buy it from fair price shops.

Sachina Ranabhat of Pokhara-17, Birauta, said that they have been able to buy food items at a cheaper rate in Salt Trading compared to other shops. She said that they have got significant discounts especially on sugar. “I am very happy to buy goods at a cheaper time in such a time of inflation. Sugar is much cheaper here than others,” he said.

Salt Trading Corporation has offices in Pokhara and Baglung in Gandaki Province. Consumers can buy daily consumables at fair prices from both the offices. Salt Trading Corporation has been selling food items to the citizens at a subsidized rate by operating fair price shops during the festival every year.