Ration dealers to close shops on April 30

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The All-India Ration Dealers’ Association will close down shops on April 30 in protest against the State Government decision to divert kerosene allocated for households to fishing boats.The Association office-bearers told reporters here on Wednesday that the state should ask the Union Government to sanction a special allocation for fishing boats.The government is not taking any sincere effort to cancel the bogus kerosene permits for fishing boats. “The bogus permit holders are selling kerosene in the black market,” they said. The Association office-bearers said that 25,32,000 litres of kerosene allotted by the Centre for households were diverted by the State Govt to fishing boats. The Association demanded the govt to distribute the paddy procured from farmers through the ration shops in respective districts.