Ration dealers across West Bengal have strongly opposed the state government move to raise working capital requirement by ten times and godown space by 200 per cent, claiming the same will put the dealers out of business.
The fair price shops associations in a statement claimed the recent government order has asked for working capital of Rs five lakh from its present Rs 50,000 and increase in godown space by additional 400 sq feet.
"We have submitted a memorandum with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to look into the problems of 22,000 fair price dealers. The recent government order asking for Rs five lakh and 600 sq feet of godown cum office space is not viable," Bengal Fair Price Shop Dealers Welfare Association general secretary Nimai Das said here today.
The government was asking for an additional 400 sq feet of godown space after it had instructed dealers to lift ration material in single lot for a month against the current system of weekly upliftment and disbursement.
Das said the dealers would resort to agitation including strike and even seek legal options if proper redressal of their grievances was not done.
Fair Price Shop Owners Association(urban) general secretary Tarun Mukherjee said the state government was putting all blame on the dealers without providing required infrastructure and environment.
"We have been demanding increase in commission rates for long, but no steps have been taken. The current commission of Rs 40 per quintal is meagre and unsustainable," he added.
