Onion costliest at Rs 100/kg in Bengaluru; lowest at Rs 35/kg in just 2 cities
New Delhi: Onion, a politically-sensitive commodity, remained costliest in the retail markets of Bengaluru at Rs 100 per kg on Monday despite Karnataka being the third-largest producer of the kitchen staple in the country, according to government data.
The lowest price quoted was Rs 35/kg in only two cities -- Udaipur in Rajasthan and Rampurhat in Birbhum district of West Bengal -- out of the 114 cities where price trends are monitored on a daily basis by the government.
The average all-India daily price of onion was ruling as high as Rs 70/kg on Monday.
Consumers even in the growing regions are paying elevated rates for the key kitchen item.
Despite Maharashtra being the top onion producing state in the country, the retail price of the commodity in Mumbai was a hefty Rs 77/kg.
A similar situation prevailed in Delhi, one of the major consuming markets, where retail prices were firm at Rs 65 per kg, in Kolkata at Rs 70 per kg, and Chennai at Rs 72 per kg on Monday, as per the government data.
Retail prices maintained by the government are normally lower by Rs 10-20 per kg than the trade data as prices differ depending on the quality and locality.
Onion prices have soared for the last few weeks due to tight supplies following damage to this year's Kharif crop in the wake of heavy rainfall in the key growing states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
However, the government has taken several measures, including banning exports and imposition of stock limits on traders, to boost the domestic supply and keep the prices under check till the arrival of the fresh crop by end of this month.
The government is also increasing domestic availability by releasing buffer stock of onion as well as relaxing norms for imports via private trade till December.
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka are the top three onion growing states in India.
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Legal heirs can claim reimbursement if govt employee dies during treatment: Allahabad HC
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Saturday said that if a government employee or pensioner dies during treatment or becomes incapable of making a claim, his legal heirs can also claim reimbursement of medical expenses.
The bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai passed the verdict on the petition of Chandra Choor Singh.
The petitioner's father was a retired deputy registrar. He was treated at private hospitals in Lucknow, where he passed away during treatment. The petitioner applied for reimbursement of medical expenses, but the department rejected the claim, stating that only the "beneficiary" can make a claim under the rules.
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The state government argued that under the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants (Medical Attendance) Rules, 2011, a claim can only be made by a beneficiary, and the petitioner did not fall within this category. It also cited the limit of Rs 5,000 set out in the succession certificate submitted by the petitioner.
The court rejected this argument of the state government, stating that the provisions of Rule 16 of the Rules, 2011, were arbitrary and violated Article 14 of the Constitution. The court held that if a beneficiary dies or becomes incapable of making a claim, his or her legal heirs cannot be deprived of this right.
Applying the principle of "reading down", the Court directed that Rule 16 be interpreted to include legal heirs, especially when there is no other eligible beneficiary.
The court also clarified that if there is no dispute about being an heir, it is not appropriate to reject the claim merely on technical grounds.
Ultimately, the court directed the concerned authority to reconsider the petitioner's claim and take a decision within two months, and if the claim is found to be correct, payment should be ensured within one month.
