Soaring onion price has forced the district administrations on Thursday to open 14 Suvidha Kendra shops where the staple was sold at a price between Rs 50/kg and Rs 60/kg, almost Rs 20 less compared to the normal retail market.

In Ranchi, three shops with the help of Ranchi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (RCCI) were opened at Pandra Market, one near Vikas Bhavan, the office of deputy development commissioner, and the other on Kutchery Road, the office of the registrar, where the staple was sold at Rs 60/kg.

RCCI president Shambhu Prasad Gupta said the shops will remain open till the price of onion is brought under control. “No one is given more than 2kg onion at the shops. The size of the onions is medium. Till late Thursday evening over 400kgs of onion was sold from the shops,” Gupta said.

Abhisekh Anand, the secretary of Bazaar Samiti, Pandra, shared pictures online of the onion retail shop at Pandra Market. “Onion is being sold at wholesale rate in the retail market,” Anand said.

Onion price, however, continued to range between Rs 65/kg and Rs 80/kg in the market. “I purchased onions at Rs 65/kg,” said Poonan Devi, a homemaker from Chutia.

Asha Devi, a homemaker residing at Harmu, said she purchased onion at Rs 80/kg. “Onion was being sold at Rs 70/kg in the market but their sizes were smaller. I purchased quality onions at Rs 80/kg,” Asha said.

On September 26 this year, state food and civil supply minister Saryu Rai, had inaugurated a retail outlet for onions at the Pandra Market. Onions then were sold at Rs 44/kg. Later, two shops were opened at the same place and business continued for 10 days.

In Dhanbad, too, the district supply department opened a Suvidha Kendra at Kenduadih to make onions available at an affordable price of Rs 50/kg. The department is also taking steps to open similar Suvidha Kendras at other places of the district.

District supply officer Bhogendra Thakur said: “We have opened one of the existing Suvidha Kendras at Kenduadih Bazar and arranged for sufficient stock of onion there. We will hold a meeting to open five more kendras in other parts of the district.”

In Jamshedpur, 10 Suvidha Kendras were opened for selling onions at a subsidised rate. Special officer (rationing) Naveen Kumar said: “The Suvidha Kendras were opened after a directive from our Ranchi directorate. The centres would continue to function till the rates come down.”

The Suvidha Kendras which opened in Mango, Jugsalai, Kadma, Sonari, Birsanagar and Baridih were selling the staple at Rs 60/kg, instead of the retail price of Rs 70-75 sold for the third consecutive day.