Jharkhand's 25,000+ FPS dealers join nationwide 'Ration Bandh' agitation

Over 25,000 fair price shop dealers from Jharkhand on Monday joined the nationwide indefinite call 'Ration Bandh' by the All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation (AIFPSDF).

The strike could affect over 65 lakh beneficiaries covered under national and state food security schemes in Jharkhand if it continues for long, an office-bearer of the dealers association said.

General secretary of the Jharkhand unit of Fair Price Shop Dealers Association (FPSDA) Sanjay Kundu told PTI that the 'Ration Bandh' call has been made in protest against the central government's inability to provide a minimum monthly income guarantee to the dealers guarantee and some other issues.

“The agitation has been called to press for various demands of the FPS dealers such as ensuring a minimum monthly income guarantee of Rs 50,000 for dealers, implementing the recommendations of the World Food Program and allowing distribution through an e -PoS device by entering the Aadhaar number of the cardholders. in case of emergency,” he said.

Kundu said they also have some state-specific issues. “We have demanded to increase our commission from Re 1 per kg to Rs 3 per kg and grant shop to family members on compassionate grounds in case of death of a dealer,” he said.

However, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said on Friday at a function to mark his years in rule that the government was planning to increase the dealers' commission. “The FPS dealers have demanded to increase their commission. The government is working on this line and it will be ready soon,” the CM had said.

The FPS dealers are also demanding commissions of 13 months on distribution of ration during the period of Covid-19 pandemic.

First print: January 1, 2024 | 12:14 pm IST