THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Discussions held by Food and Finance Ministers to discuss the hardships faced by ration shop traders failed to meet the results. In the discussion held in the assembly, there came no definite answers or suggestions from the ministers to the demands raised by the ration shop traders. With the meeting not getting the desired outcome, the Ration Dealers Coordination State Committee announced a 48-hour shop closure strike on 8 and 9th of July.

The delegates demanded that the deficiencies in the ration wage package and the KTPDS Act be addressed. A committee of officials appointed months ago to study this has submitted its report to the government on June 10.

Minister G R Anil was informed to hand over the report to the government on July 10 and promised to discuss the matter. Finance Minister KN Balagopal informed that although the food department has decided in principle to collect Rs.1 per month from non-priority cardholders in connection with the Ration Trader Welfare Fund reform, it will be implemented after a detailed discussion.

The finance minister informed that the commission of the food kit during the COVID period will be paid in instalments to traders as per Supreme court order. The traders demanded to know the number of instalments required for the payment which the minister had no clear answer. This abruptly ended the meeting.