The government has released the draft of the 'National Supply Policy 2083' with the aim of stopping the sale of open food items prevalent in the market and controlling consumer fraud and black market. This policy, brought with the aim of starting a new era by replacing the 14-year-old disorganized market system, includes an ambitious plan to protect the health of consumers, promote indigenous products and make the market 'smart'.
The most important aspect of the new policy is the complete ban on open sale of food grains like rice, pulses and flour. From now on, food items that are kept open in sacks or containers will not be sold. Keeping the consumer's health at the forefront, such items must be sold in safe packaging. Also, the production date, expiry date and maximum retail price (MRP) should be clearly mentioned in the packet of each product. Manufacturers or traders who send goods to the market without quality testing and packaging will be brought under strict action.
This policy has taken important steps to encourage domestic industries and farmers while reducing dependence on foreign goods. Although the clothes, furniture, stationery and other goods used by the government agencies are 15 percent more expensive than foreign products, it has been arranged that domestic products should be purchased. It is expected to provide new energy to Nepali industries.
In order to control the artificial scarcity and price increase in the market during floods, landslides, blockades or other disasters, the government is going to arrange a 'buffer stock' (storage) that can meet the demand of essential food items for at least three months. Food will also be stored in National Food Security Storage and 'SAARC Food Bank'. Rice, pulses, salt, oil, sugar, kerosene and cooking gas will be provided at special concessional rates through Supatha Price Shops to protect the poor, destitute, disabled and helpless senior citizens from the scourge of high prices.
Cold stores will be constructed with the participation of all three levels of government to prevent agricultural produce from being wasted, and provision for subsidizing electricity tariffs for such stores is also included in the policy. The future of market monitoring is no longer the old fashioned one. The government will develop an integrated supply management information system based on 'real time data' of market commodity availability and prices. If consumers are cheated or suffer damage due to substandard goods, additional consumer courts will be established as needed to provide immediate justice and compensation.
It will be brought under strict regulation to control fraud in the growing online business (e-commerce). For the implementation of the policy, a five-level 'Action' mechanism has been set up with a steering committee headed by the minister of industry at the federal level, a central supply management committee headed by the secretary of the ministry, a chief secretary of the chief minister's office in the state, a chief district officer (CDO) in the district and a supply management committee headed by the head/chairman of the local level in villages and towns. These committees will be empowered to take ruthless action against black market, monopolies and syndicates in their respective areas. Through this draft, the government has also asked for opinions and suggestions from ordinary citizens and concerned agencies.
