Thiruvananthapuram: The ration dealers in the state have come out against the decision of the government to allow Kerala state civil supplies corporation (Supplyco) to run ration shops in the state. The first ration shop run by Supplyco was inaugurated at Pulimoodu here on Tuesday.
All India ration dealers congress have said that if the government permits Supplyco to run ration shops, the ration dealers would actively campaign against the LDF candidates in the upcoming local-body elections. General secretary of the association Babichan Mukkadan said that the government should back off from the move that will affect the jobs of about 14,000 ration dealers and their staff. The dealers would fight against the move.
He said that the first ration shop being inaugurated in the capital by Supplyco is a blatant violation of the food safety act prevailing in the country. The ration dealers are planning to appoint about 2,000 new staff in the basic minimum wages scale.
When new dealerships are sanctioned, as per the court rule, principles of reservation are also to be followed. But the government has not followed that and has not given any priority to women’s oraganizations, Kudumbashree and ex-Army personnel. The ration dealers observed Tuesday as a black day protesting the government’s decision to grant ration shop licence to Supplyco.
Meanwhile, food and civil supplies minister P Thilothaman said that the claims that the ration shops would be taken over by Supplyco is baseless.