Divya Delhi: Government-sponsored onion sales provide relief as prices fall in major cities.Launched on September 5, the government's subsidized onion sale program has resulted in price reductions in key cities in a matter of days, the consumer affairs ministry said on Saturday. Retail onion prices dropped from Rs 60 to Rs 55 per kg in Delhi and from Rs 61 to Rs 56 per kg in Mumbai. The ministry stated in a statement that the retail price in Chennai was lowered from Rs 65 to Rs 58 per kilogram.In large cities, the government has also started to dispose of onions in bulk. With intentions to ultimately spread to all state capitals, including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, it has already started in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. The ministry said that "the government expects onion prices to remain under control in the coming months" due to the buffer stock of 4.7 lakh tonnes of onions and the expanded kharif planting area over the previous year.It also said that it is expected that the combination of improved retail and bulk selling tactics would stabilize prices and guarantee broad availability of reasonably priced onions.