Strike won’t affect Nov 1 ration supply: Minister Nani

VIJAYAWADA/SRIKAKULAM: Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) has maintained that the ration dealers’ strike in the State will not have any impact on the supply of essential commodities to the white ration card holders across the State on November 1. 

Speaking to the media in Srikakulam on Tuesday, Venkateswara Rao said, “Now, the situation is different. Earlier, the entire public distribution system (PDS) functioned from the fair price shops, but after the YSRC came into power, the ration is being supplied to the beneficiaries through 11,000 Mobile Dispensing Units (MDUs),” 

Commenting on the strike of the Andhra Pradesh Ration Dealers Association, the minister said that the civil supplies department will take care of the ration distribution if the dealer’s continue their strike. He urged them to come for talks to resolve the issue amicably. 

“It’s the responsibility of the state government to supply essential commodities through fair price shops,” he said and made it clear that the government is not afraid of the threats of the dealers. “They should change their culture and language if they aspire to continue to run fair price shops. If they continue the same behaviour, the government will bypass them and ensure the ration supply through MDUs to avoid inconvenience for the beneficiaries,” the minister warned. 

Meanwhile, pressing for their demands, the members of Andhra Pradesh Ration Dealers Association staged a protest before the civil supplies warehouse at Gollapudi in Vijayawada. Association president M Venkata Rao made it clear that they were not against the State government and only against the anti-dealer policies of the officers. 

“We don’t have any intention to cause inconvenience to the white ration card holders. We will discuss the issue with the minister on Wednesday to find a permanent solution to  our genuine demands,” Venkata Rao said.