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The government has decided to operate fair-price shops from Oct 8 to Nov 19 in view of upcoming festivals.

According to spokesperson at the Ministry of Industry and Supplies, Gajendra Kumar Thakur, the decision is meant to provide relief to consumers during the festive season. The outlets are expected to keep market prices in check, provide quality supplies and ensure a smooth supply of food commodities at reasonable rates. Thakur added that the idea behind this step is to help people get their supplies at subsidized rates and alert them about possible artificial price hikes.  

The decision, a continuation of past practices, is a step meant to provide token relief to people reeling under food inflation.

The government will operate these shops in collaboration with the Food Management and Trade Company Limited (FMTCL) and Salt Trading Corporation under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Dairy Development Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. 

Pulses, rice, wheat flour, edible oil and beaten rice will be sold at lower rates—by offering a discount of Rs 7 per kg/liter.

The price waiver also covers beans and grains produced in Karnali, with a discount of Rs 10 per kg, along with goats and mountain goats. The government has allocated Rs 23.22m to FMTCL for running fair-price shops and Rs 10m for the sale of food products through STC outlets this year. STC will sell sugar at Rs 97 per kg through its outlets while a kilogram of salt will cost Rs 2 less, whereas DDC outlets will provide Rs 20/kg discount on ghee and discounts of Rs 20 and Rs 50 on 200-gram and 500-gram paneer.

These commodities will be sold through 35 outlets, including eight selling centers and three mobile shops of FMTCL and STC in the Kathmandu Valley.

Apart from Kathmandu, FMTCL will run fair-price shops in Morang, Jhapa, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Diktel, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Siraha, Janakpur, Parsa, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, Tanahun, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Rupandehi, Banke, Dang, Bardiya, Rukum East and Rukum West.

The FMTCL will have concessional stocks at 48 places of 42 districts, including Rolpa, Surkhet, Gulmi, Dailekh, Dolpa, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot, Jumla, Mugu, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, Darchula and Mahendranagar.

Such fair-price shops may be operated in more districts as per the need, the ministry stated. The fixed discount can also be accessed through free online home delivery, mobile service, cooperatives and dealers.

A committee has also been formed for monitoring the fair-price shops that will operate from 10 am to 5 pm. 

Bharati Sherpa (Manandhar) continued her hunger strike for the second day on Thursday.

Manandhar started a hunger strike in Maitighar, Kathmandu from Wednesday, demanding justice for her husband Chetan Manandhar.

She began her hunger strike against the decision of the government to grant amnesty to her husband’s murderer gangster Yograj Dhakal aka Rigal.

President Ram Chandra Paudel on the recommendation of Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government granted amnesty to 670 persons including Rigal serving prison under various charges.

She also filed a case at the Supreme Court against President Paudel who pardoned Rigal’s remaining jail term.

Manandhar, who had reached the Supreme Court from the hunger strike venue on Wednesday, fell unconscious at the premises of the apex court and rushed to the Bir Hospital for treatment.

She started her hunger strike again after the treatment.

Weather across the country has improved from today after continuous rains for the past five days.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the atmospheric condition is expected to steadily improve further. 

Meteorologist Govinda Jha said the eastern part of the country has been under the partial influence of a low-pressure system which is now in the process of shifting to the northwest and weakening. Such a shift will have its impact on Sikkim and its surrounding areas, as well as Bangladesh. 

He said that the Koshi Province reports thick cloud cover, while skies in other regions are relatively clear. Although moderate rainfall is expected for the next two or three days, onwards there is no possibility of heavy rainfall.

The Division said that there will be partly to generally cloudy in Koshi Province, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province and partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of Koshi Province, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province and at one or two places in the rest of the provinces.

Likewise, tonight partly to generally cloudy is expected in Koshi Province, Madesh Province, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province and partly cloudy to mainly fair in the rest of the provinces.

Light rain or thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places in Koshi Province, Madesh Province, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province.  

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged one and all to remain alert to the possibility of occurrence of any activities capable of provoking communal unrest and disrupting peace and order within the community.

Issuing a statement, the NHRC has called for respecting the dignity and rights of others while practicing the right to freedom of expression and opinion. It has insisted on the responsible use of social sites.

The national rights body has further demanded an impartial investigation into a recent clash in Nepalgunj sub-metropolis and action against those found responsible for the incident.

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The rights watchdog has said that it has already conducted a field inspection in regard to the incident that occurred in Nepalgunj which left 22 people injured.

It may be noted that the Banke District Administration Office issued a curfew order for an indefinite period in the city from 1 pm Tuesday following religious unrest that reportedly erupted from a status posted on social media targeting the Muslim community.