Ration dealers to go on strike from July 1

Hyderabad: After several representations to the office of Civil Supplies, the Ration dealers have decided to go on strike, if their demands were not met. If Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao fails to address their grievances, they will be on agitation mode from July 1.

With the request to fulfil their demands the Telangana State Ration Dealers Association submitted representation to the Commissioner of Civil Supplies (TS). Nayak Koti Raju, State president, D Mallesham, Hyderabad president, Prasad Goud, secretary, Murli and others of Telangana State Ration Dealers Association met the Commissioner Akun Sabarwal. They requested him to consider their demands including fixation of regular salary on a par with government employees to all Fair Price Shop dealers of Telangana and to declare the same on or before June 20, this year.

Raju held that the arrears were long pending since October 2015 and asked for the release of the same. He said that the minimum commission declared by the Central government as per Food Security Act was Rs 70 per quintal should be reconsidered, as it was not sufficient to meet both ends in these hard days. “Kindly release the arrears by enhancing it to Rs 300 per quintal and additional margin for sale through point of sale device Rs 17 per quintal,” he said.

The leader also explained that some of the Fair Price Shop dealers had to borrow money on huge interest rates for maintaining their families, while some of them were forced to commit suicide as they were unable to pay the loans, he emphasised.

He also asked the department to release their arrears before June 14. “If the department is unable to meet our above demands kindly arrange meeting with the Chief Minister of Telangana on or before June 30 otherwise we would be forced to go on strike,” cautioned Raju.