Opposition Slams KCR Plan To Scrap Ration Shops

Senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir today slammed the TRS government for its decision to scrap the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Telangana and shut down the ration shops, which he claimed were the backbone of all poverty alleviation programs.

The Congress leader said that instead of addressing the problems of the 70,200-odd striking ration shop dealers in the state, the Chief Minister was using arm-twisting methods and threatening to shut down the ration shops altogether.

Defending the ration shop dealers striking for the past one year, Shabbir Ali justified their demands for a hike in commission from the existing Rs 5,000 to Rs 11,000 per month in view of the steep hike in transport, electricity, wages and rental costs in both the urban and rural areas in the state.

"Instead of winding up the PDS and closing down the ration shops, the state government should transform them into mini super bazaars by providing many commodities under one roof for the benefit of the poor in the urban and rural areas," he suggested.

Recalling how the PDS had functioned as the backbone of the anti-poverty schemes during the Congress regime, Shabbir Ali said that the system was crucial to address famine, drought and flood situations. It was also a conduit for all the welfare programs like distribution of subsidized food grains and clothes to BPL families.

"During the previous Congress regime, eight to ten essential commodities, edible oils, soaps and handloom clothes were supplied through the ration shops to help the poor and also regulate open market prices," he said. "But today only rice is being supplied in the ration shops as the NDA government has already withdrawn subsidy on sugar after the commodity was de-controlled. KCR wants to scrap even that."

The Telangana unit of the CPI also slammed KCR's proposal to scrap the ration shops.

In a note, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy said that the state government's decision to abolish ration shops altogether on the ruse that the ration shop dealers were taking up strikes time and again would severely affect the poor. He asked the TRS government to instead strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS) on the lines of what Kerala did.