End of PDS dealers’ strike; Distribution of grains resumes for 65 lakh beneficiaries

Ranchi: The strike by over 25 thousand Public Distribution System (PDS) dealers in Jharkhand, which persisted for the past nine days, concluded on Tuesday. As a result, the distribution of grains among the 65 lakh beneficiaries in the state is set to resume from Wednesday.
The decision to end the strike came after discussions between Food Supply Minister Rameshwar Oraon, Departmental Secretary Amitabh Kaushal, and representatives of the Fair Price Dealers Association at Project Bhawan. The primary demand during the strike was the payment of an outstanding commission amounting to about Rs 200 crore for 13 months, along with other demands.
Omkarnath Jha, the State President of the Association, stated that the government has assured to settle the outstanding commission amount starting from the month of February. Additionally, announcements related to the re-implementation of compassionate benefits for PDS shopkeepers (which were abolished from 2021) and an increase in the commission amount are expected to be made during the budget session.