CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday launched the 'Vetri Special Vegetable Pack' scheme, offering a curated combo of 10 essential kitchen vegetables for a highly subsidised price of Rs 100 ahead of Deepavali.
The scheme, which will be in force for three days, was inaugurated by Minister for Cooperation V Gandhiraj at the Poonga Nagar Cooperative Wholesale Store in Chennai, where he distributed the first sets of vegetable packs to the public.
Through the scheme named after the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, the special vegetable pack will be made available across 218 selected cooperative outlets and four mobile units in Chennai.
"The special sale will run for three days from November 5 to 7, across 218 selected cooperative retail outlets throughout Tamil Nadu. To ensure wider reach in the state capital, the government has also deployed four mobile vegetable vending vehicles to distribute the packs across various neighbourhoods in Chennai," the Minister later told reporters.
Each eco-friendly pack weighs between 2.55 kg and 2.60 kg, and contains fresh, sorted, and hygienically packed essentials to insulate the public from open-market price fluctuations during the festival.
The Rs 100 combo contains: onions: 500g, tomatoes: 500g, brinjal: 250g, potatoes: 250g, carrots: 200g, beans: 200g, green chillies: 100g, lemons: 100g, ginger: 50g and coconut: 1 piece (weighing 400g to 450g).
To ensure that the benefits reach the maximum number of households and to prevent hoarding, authorities have restricted the sale to one vegetable pack per person. The packs will be available during the regular working hours of the designated cooperative stores, according to a release here.
The Cooperation Department confirmed that adequate stocks have been maintained across the state. Regional and Joint Registrars of Cooperative Societies in all districts have been instructed to monitor the supply chain closely and ensure smooth distribution.
Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Cooperation, Food, and Consumer Protection P Amudha, Registrar of Cooperative Societies G Latha, and Additional Registrar, Consumer Affairs K Tharpagaraj, and other senior officials participated during the launch.
"To combat rising vegetable prices during the festival season, the government is introducing vegetable kits priced at Rs 100. These kits are not part of the Public Distribution System nor sold through ration shops. They are being sold in specific supermarkets and outlets," the Minister clarified.
The government is procuring vegetables directly from farmers to eliminate middlemen, ensuring lower prices for consumers and better returns for the farmers, he added.