Hyderabad: Ration dealers will go on strike from November 1 opposing the proposed introduction of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme and demanding an increase in dealer commissions.
Dealers alleged that the government had failed to fulfil the promise of increasing their commission and was trying to close ration shops in the name of DBT, which would render 17,200 dealers and 25,000 workers jobless.
Telangana Ration Dealers Welfare Association president Nayi Koti Raju said they had waited for three-and-a-half years. “Not a single promise made by the government on our demands has been fulfilled so far,” he said. “We will not allow this to happen and intensify our agitation till the government withdraws DBT proposal,” Mr Raju said.
He alleged that some officials were misleading the government with claims that the dealers were diverting PDS rice.
“There is no scope for irregularities after the PDS system went online and GPS was installed on trucks transporting PDS rice, CCTV cameras at godowns and bio-metric devices at ration shops. Every activity at every stage is being monitored by officials in Hyderabad Dealers are only maligned with a malafide intention of closing down ration shops and bring DBT,” Mr Raju said.
He claimed that the government owes the dealers Rs 415 crore since October 1, 2015, as per the provisions of Food Security Act. He said Telangana state paid the lowest commission to dealers.
