Atleast 41K ration dealers & staff to come under insurance ambit

Kolkata: Atleast 41,000 ration dealers and employees associated with the fair price shops across the state had reasons to cheer with the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution consenting to their proposal of bringing them under insurance coverage considering their susceptibility of getting affected by the COVID -19 virus.

With 10 crore beneficiaries in the state brought under the ambit of free ration in the state, maintaining physical distancing with customers have emerged as a major challenge for the dealers and their employees.

"We attended a video conference in virtual mode with Union Food Secretary Sudhansu Pandey on Tuesday where we voiced our grievances and demands. We are happy that he has agreed to majority of our proposals and have assured us of implementing them soon," said Biswambhar Basu, General Secretary of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation.

Basu added that the Federation has also urged the Bengal government to bring the ration dealers and employees under the ambit of Swastha Sathi scheme. "State Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick has already told us to make a list of the beneficiaries who can be brought under the scheme," he maintained. There are 20,238 ration shops in the state

The Federation has also urged the Food Secretary to offer necessary compensation of Rs 50 lakhs each to the bereaved families of the ration dealers across the country who died in harness while distributing

ration amidst the Covid pandemic.

The Federation has also appealed to fix the margins of the dealers so that they have a minimum income guarantee.