The Finance Committee of the parliament has directed the government to extend the duration and expand the areas of fair price shops, which were opened to ease the supply of daily consumption goods in view of the upcoming Dashain and Tihar festivals.

A meeting of the Finance Committee held on Tuesday directed the Ministry of Finance to extend the duration and expand the areas of fair price shops to provide quality products to people on time.

“The Ministry of Finance has been directed to extend the duration and expand the areas of fair price shops, which were opened in the view of the upcoming festivals, and has also been directed to ensure import of quality products in fair price,” read a statement issued after the meeting.

The government has been operating fair price shops in 48 places of the country from September 28 to ease the supply of daily consumption goods in view of the upcoming festivals like Dashain and Tihar.

The fair prices shops, which were opened by the government in coordination with government institutions and District Administration Offices to sell daily commodities, will be operated till November 13.

In the fair prices shops, Salt Trading, Nepal Food Corporation and Dairy Dev elopement Corporation have been providing 5 to 10 percent discount in rice, pulses, flour and goats.

Salt Trading has been providing 2 percent and 5 percent discount in Salt and Sugar respectively while Dairy Development Corporation has been giving Rs 50, Rs 10 discount per litre in ghee and other milk products.

Nepal Food Corporation has been providing Rs 5 discount each in Mansuli Rice, Japanese rice and Cumin. It has been also been giving Rs 10 discount in Basmati rice, Gorakhnath rice, Jumla green beans, Buck Wheat and goats.

Saying that people have been facing problems due to the increasing price in daily commodities during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, the committee has directed the Finance Ministry to formulate necessary laws to curb price hike in essential products.