HYDERABAD: In the wake of state government tightening the noose around ration shop dealers who are threatening to go on strike, fair price shop dealers are planning to approach the Hyderabad High Court against the government’s move to suspend their licenses.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad district civil supplies officials are taking measures to ensure that poor people will not face any difficulties in obtaining essential commodities. On Friday, officials inspected community halls under circle 9 in Hyderabad to store essential commodities for supply. Officials are also in the process of preparing cardholders’ information and they are allocating the serial numbers to the community halls.
According to sources, the total number of Food Security Card (FSC) holders in Hyderabad is 5,56,675 and the number of Fair Price Shops is 703. After the latest orders, the 334 ration dealers have paid for the stocks while the rest of the 369 has been given a deadline to make payments for their monthly quota. The civil supplies officials have started a selection process for women organization in the city.
When contacted, Nayi Koti Raju, President of Telangana Ration Dealers said “We are demanding to increase the commission on one kilo of rice from 20 paise to 70 paise. The state government has not paid the commission for last three years. The central government has already given Rs 400 crores to state government. But the state government is not releasing the pending commissions.” We demand the state government release the pending commissions fixed salary for ration dealers, he added.