All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation national convention held
Dimapur, September 27 (MExN): The All Nagaland Fair Price Shop Association (ANFPSA) President, Hotoshe Sumi and General Secretary, Meijiang attended a two-day National Convention of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation (AIFPSDF) at Kolkata on September 13 and 24.
The National Working Committee preparatory meeting was held at Mahajati Sadan, Kolkata on September 23 wherein, all the state representatives were given the chance to position their challenges and problems face in their respective states. Twenty eight out of 36 States participated in the reflection meeting and situate their grievances face in their states.
Consequently, the National Convention was held on September 24, at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata in which different speakers spoke in support of AIFPSDF.
The mammoth gathering adopted a resolution in the Convention in regard to the Public Distribution System (PDS) functioning for the central Government to address the grievances face by the Fair Price Shop dealers across the country.
The Convention resolved to fight tooth and nail against the central Government plan and attempt of privatising the Public Distribution System (PDS). The house resolved to go against the order of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by the Union Government and will fight for total withdrawal centrally without shifting responsibility to the State Government. It resolved to withdrawn Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from Chandigarh immediately.
Kerosene quota to be restored where ever it has been abolished, and compensated by grant of LPG Licence to the dealers.
The house felt that strengthening of Public Distribution System (PDS) is the only instrument to arrest the spiralling open market prices of essential commodity and items such as Rice, Wheat, Sugar, Pulse and Edible Oil.
The august house resolved to demand the decision of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ into ‘One Nation One Card and PDS for all’.
It also resolved that Computerisation of PDS and introduction of biometric system are realistically not practicable concepts in PDS, thus demand to continued running of PDS manually.
The gathering also resolved to demand for enhancement of commission at Rs.250 per quintal and ensuring Minimum Income Guarantee of Rs. 30,000 per month for all the FPS dealers immediately by the Government of India.
It resolved that Fair Price Shop Dealers should be given similar treatment like the central Government Employees.
The house also unanimously decided to go for nationwide agitation and Court cases after the festivals get over i.e. “from December 2019 involving the consumers in the program.”
