Dealers in Jharsuguda Stage Protest, Demand Immediate Payment of Arrears, Increase in Remuneration

Jharsuguda: Hundreds of dealers from Jharsuguda district staged a protest in front of the district collector’s office on Wednesday, demanding immediate payment of their 28-month salary arrears, operating expenses of e-POS machines, cost of mid-day meal distribution to school students, and cost of return sacks.

The dealers also demanded that the state government pay them one day’s remuneration within five days of the last date of distribution of each month without leaving all remuneration due to the next day’s distribution. They also demanded that 1 kg of camp material be added per quintal from delivery to distribution, along with an increase in the dealer’s remuneration.

The dealers also demanded that the state government re-employ the successors of the deceased retailers and arrange for the payment of shop house rent, electricity expenses, and support amounts to the assistants and helpers of the retailers. They also demanded that the state government provide a Biju Health Welfare Card for the protection of the working retail vendors and provide an insurance cover of Rs. 25 lakh.

The retailers said that the central government has provided the state government with ?246.35 crores for all the retailers in the state, but the state supply department has only given 6 months’ worth of money to the retailers. They said that it was ridiculous to sit quietly.

The retailers have warned that if the state government does not address all of these issues, the delivery system will be completely suppressed in the coming days, as per the decision of the All India Dealers Federation Odisha unit.