VIJAYAWADA: Fair price shops (ration shops) in the State will not supply essential commodities to white-card holders from Tuesday.The Andhra Pradesh Ration Dealers’ Association made the decision in protest against the ‘anti-dealer policies’ of government officials. The Association also urged its members to stop unloading stocks, meant for November distribution, at mandal-level stock (MLS) points. It also called for closing down of ration shops till their demands were met.
The demands included the payment of Rs 16 crore as commission as part of the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) programme from March 29, 2020, implementation of cash back from demand draft and immediate payment of arrears of pulses diverted from dealers to the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
Association president M Venkateswara Rao said officials were implementing anti-dealer policies. They were also demanding the return of empty sacks, in violation of a 2008 GO. Besides commission, ration dealers used to benefit from the sale of empty sacks. Rao said their representations to Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) and Civil Supplies Commissioner Girija Shankar evoked no response, and hence the dealers were forced to protest.