Gujarat fair price shop owners on strike from tomorrow

Fair price shop owners in Gujarat will begin their indefinite strike from tomorrow after talks with the state government over their demands failed today, a traders' association said.
The strike call has been given by the Gujarat Fair Price Shop Owners' Association, which is headed by Prahlad Modi, younger brother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We held a meeting with the state government on our set of demands, but they offered us no assurance on meeting our demands.
"Therefore, we have decided to go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow," Prahlad Modi, who is president of the association, told PTI.

He said Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Jayesh Radadiya left the meeting mid-way to attend the ongoing Assembly session.
Among other things, the association has demanded a hike in commission from foodgrain sales and bring it on a par with states like Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala and Goa.

It has also demanded replacement or temporary suspension of software being used at fair price shops under Maa Annapurna Yojana to disburse subsidised foodgrains to beneficiaries.
This is because the current software fails to read fingerprint and Aadhaar card details of beneficiaries, the association said.
It wants fair price shops to be allowed to sell gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which aims to provide free LPG connections to women from BPL households.

The association has also demanded financial assistance for children of the fair price shop dealers.