Thiruvananthapuram: The annual Onam fairs will start functioning in Kerala from August 11 and would be open for the next ten days. Making the announcement, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G R Anil said that the fairs would sell mostly traditional farm produce.
“While the state-level inauguration of the fairs will take place at Putharikandam ground in the state capital, similar arrangements will be made at all district centres. In addition, Onam fairs will function beside Supplyco outlets in each of the 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala from August 14,” said the Minister. Special counters will be set up for bananas at all the fairs, he added.
Maveli stores
Meanwhile, 26 Maveli stores would be opened in various districts before July 30. Of them, 17 are planned in Thiruvananthapuram region. The Minister said that orders have been issued to sell only good-quality items at Maveli stores. Work to upgrade six Maveli stores in Palakkad region as ‘super stores’ also has been completed, said Anil.
Onam kit items
Regarding the Onam kits to be distributed among ration card holders, the Minister said that cardamom, ghee, cashew nuts, dried rice and ‘sarkara varatti’ to be included in the kits will be sourced from farmers, public sector units and cooperative societies in Kerala, based on a request from them.
At the same time, the cloth bags to pack the kits will be bought from Kudumbashree and the bananas and vegetables from farmers’ cooperatives in the state.
Expenses for kits
According to the Minister, the government estimates expenses of around Rs 500 crore for the Onam kits. “The state has supplied free food kits from September 2020 to last month, for which the total amount spent was Rs 5,500 crore,” informed Anil.
Kerala has so far distributed 10 crore kits to 85 lakh ration card holders.
