Ration dealers did not affect state, says Girish Bapat

Mumbai: The ration dealers’ strike that began on Sunday has not affected the state much and some have withdrawn from the strike, Girish Bapat, the food and civil supplies minister, has said. Only 5,600 of the state’s 52,000 shops have downed the shutter since Sunday.

“Shopkeepers from Raigad and other districts have withdrawn the strike. We approved all their demands except a salary of Rs 50,000, which is impossible to meet,” Mr Bapat said.

The All Maharashtra Fair Price Shopkeepers Federation and other organisations have been on strike for various demands.

Bapat said the striking shopkeepers are from Raigad, Sangli, Beed, Osmanabad, Parbhani, and Latur districts. “We spoke with the Raigad association and 1,361 shopkeepers have withdrawn the strike. We have increased the commission and approved all the demands except salary and treating them as government servants.