Fair price dealers stage protest, seek better cuts, facilities

Scores of Fair Price Shop owners today staged a demonstration outside the collectorate here to demand improved commission and facilities in order to ensure "corruption-free" distribution of ration.
The demonstration was held under the aegis of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation, New Delhi for seeking enhancement of commission, which it termed is "paltry" in Uttar Pradesh.
While referring to the system of Fair Price Shops in Tamil Nadu, they said the government of the south Indian state provides education facility to the children of shop keepers, besides salary and other perks.
A memorandum was handed over to the district magistrate which was addressed to the prime minister and the UP chief minister, the federation officials said.

Federation president Rajendra Tyagi said if the government wants corruption-free distribution of ration then facilities must be provided like that in Tamil Nadu, where the government gives a salary of clerical grade to the shopkeeper, and that to the assistant at par with class-IV employee, besides bearing expenses like rent of shop and electricity bill.
"In case such facilities are provided, every shopkeeper will work honestly with transparency," he said.
Tyagi asked the dealers not to procure ration for distribution in the month of July, saying, "Till the moment our demands are not fulfilled, we will not work."
District Magistrate Ministhy S assured the dealers that their memorandum will be forwarded to he prime minister and the chief minister.