Ration dealers on Monday called off their proposed indefinite strike from June 5 following an assurance from the state government to resolve their demands. Civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar held a meeting with the Joint Action Committee of Telangana state ration dealers here on Monday.
The minister agreed to resolve 20 out of their 22 demands immediately and promised to take the issue of their remaining two demands pertaining to payment of monthly honorarium and hike in dealers' commission to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and get them resolved at the earliest.
JAC leaders stated that they have confidence that the Chief Minister would consider their demands favourably and
therefore they have decided to call off their proposed strike from June 5.
JAC leaders are demanding payment of dealers’ commission arrears for three months, increase in commission, payment of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 to kin of ration dealers in the event of dealer’s death to perform their last rites, health cards for ration dealers and their family members, increase the renewal period of dealership from two to five years, or eliminating the renewal system and granting permanent dealership.
They also sought group insurance coverage and convert ration shops into mini-super markets by offering other essential commodities apart from rice.