What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: After failing to grab the government’s attention in getting economic security of a minimum margin of rupees 400 per quintal must be ensured, the All India Fair Price Shop dealer’s federation will go for a series of protests from July 4.
The press conference was conducted by Prahlad Damodardas Modi, senior vice-president, All India Fair Price Shop Dealer’s Association, Biswambhar Basu, national general secretary and others at the Press Club of India.
The fair price shop dealers have been always serving more than 81 crore beneficiaries under adverse conditions during COVID. Many dealers lost their lives however the federation stated that none received the status of “corona warrior”.
Union government instead has granted an alm of only 20 Paisa per kg for the general category states and 37 Paisa per kg for the hilly and north eastern states.
The federation also demanded that LPG gas cylinders should be supplied through fair price shops. They said that fair price shops will collect the cylinders from the distributors and make doorstep delivery to the consumers tagged to their fair price shops.
Importantly, they want the margin to be shared equally by the LPG distributors and the fair price shops.
While speaking to The New Indian, Prahlad Damodardas Modi said, “Didn’t the country’s ration system stand by the country in the terrible situation of Corona? We have delivered rations to the people in difficult times. But neither the Indian government nor any state government congratulated the ration shopkeepers. The Government of India should think about this. Why are we being treated as untouchables?”
Modi, who is also PM Narendra Modi’s brother, added, “Health workers received PPT but we never got it. If the Indian government does not make a positive decision, the agitation will begin.”
Basu told The New Indian, “All the ration dealers in the country will be holding block-level protests. During the monsoon session of the parliament, we will ‘gherao’ parliament. We are also planning to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hand over a memorandum to him.” “We will stop lifting stocks unless they are supplied in jute gunny bags,” he said.
The federation will start its agitation from Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on August 2 and will march up to the Parliament. Before that block levels, sub-divisional levels and state-level agitations will begin on July 4.
