Ration dealers' strike from July 1

The Telangana Ration Dealers Association, Joint Action Committee has decided to go ahead with its indefinite strike from July 1 after their talks with civil supplies commissioner Akun Sabharwal failed to arrive at a consensus.

The dealers charged the state government with trying to intimidate them with vigilance raids on fair price shops. They alleged that the TRS government has been dragging its feet on their demands for a long time.

Though the



ration dealers had gone on strike on a couple of occasions in the last four years of TRS rule, they called it off following assurances by civil supplies minister Etela Rajender. Their demands include that they should be paid monthly honorarium by the state government, the TRS government should increase commission per kg of subsidy rice on par with the central government suggested rate and immediate release of Rs.450 crore pending arrears of dealers commission.