kolkata: All India Fair Price Shop Dealers’ Federation has given a call for a three-day ‘ration bandh’ and e-pos shutdown from Feb 7 to 9 to protest against the Centre’s decision to stop the additional food grain supply under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) from January 1. The dealers have also threatened to take up Parliament Abhijan on March 22 to press for its demands.State Food and Supplies minister Rathin Ghosh, however, assured the beneficiaries in the state that the strike call will only be in papers and there will be no effect of the same in the state.“The dealers in the state will not support such a bandh call and the rationing system will function as usual. The top brass of the Federation is trying to gain sympathy from the people through the move but it will be an exercise in futility,” said Ghosh.
Ghosh said that they should rather protest in the capital rather than make an attempt to hamper the smooth distribution system.The state continued with its provisions under PMGKAY till January as it was running a month late in terms of supply.
The revised allotment for the different categories of ration card holders has also been notified by the state Food and Supplies department.