Special counters selling onions at subsidized rates were thrown open for the general public by the officials of the Agricultural and Marketing department at 4 out of the 9 Rythu Bazaars in the city.
The special counters were inaugurated by Agricultural and Marketing Department CEO L Shashidhar Reddy, who had earlier announced that onions would be sold at Rs. 15 per kg against the existing market rate of Rs. 24 to Rs. 28 per kg.
An officer at the Falaknuma Rythu Bazaar Mohammed Mujaheduddin said that10 quintals of onions were received there on Saturday. He said that the special counters would be started in the other 5 Rythu Bazaars very soon.
Mujaheduddin said that to prevent unscrupulous persons from hoarding the onions, the authorities were limiting the sale of the commodity to just 2 kgs per head.
Kukatpally, Mehdipatnam and Erragadda Rythu Bazaars also received 10 quintals of onions on Saturday.
Mujaheduddin revealed that the counters would be in place till further orders.
A housewife Rajeshwari said that that it was ironical that onions were sold at Rs. 24 per kg in front of the gates of the Falaknuma Rythu Bazaar.
Rajeshwari expressed her satisfaction at the subsidized onion, but also said that it would have been better if more than 2 kgs were allotted per head.