Rajasthan wholesale traders go on token strike

Traders in all the 247 wholesale agricultural produce markets went on a day-long token strike across Rajasthan against the state government's order to slash their commission on coarse grains from two to one per cent.

The strike is likely to affect the business to the tune of around Rs 4 crore, a spokesman of the Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vypar Sangh said here.

About 3 lakh workers and labourers did not turn up for work in the state, he said. On October 19, the Rajasthan government had issued orders asking traders to charge one per cent commission from customers on sale of foodgrains like jawar-makka-bajra, the spokesman said.

"The order is ridiculous as the farmers from whom the produce is purchased have nothing to do with the retail business in the local market," he said.

If the state government does not withdraw the order, a long-term agitation would be planned soon, he warned.