Ahmedabad: Around 17,000 fair-price grain shops across Gujarat are set to remain closed indefinitely from November 1, as shopkeepers protest the government’s inaction on their long-standing demands.

Shopkeepers had submitted several urgent requests to the government over a year and a half ago. However, with no response or action taken so far, they, along with their associations, have decided to withdraw from the public distribution system and launch a protest starting November 1.

The protest demands that the government implement all previously submitted requests. Shopkeepers have also refused to generate permits, citing controversial circulars issued by the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

This action comes after a recent government circular cancelled the “lifelong inheritance” of shop permits, meaning a shop could be closed if the permit holder falls ill or is hospitalized. Shopkeepers have criticized this move as inhumane and claimed the circular was personally approved by Gandhi.

Another circular mandates the formation of an 11-member committee for every fair-price shop, including customers, neighboring traders, local corporators, or municipal members. It also requires ration traders to take delivery of goods only in the presence of nine committee members, all of whom must provide biometric verification.

Shopkeepers have alleged that these controversial circulars are attempts to control and subjugate fair-price shop owners. DeshGujarat