ALAPPUZHA: The ration retail dealers in the State will soon organise strong agitation against the policies of the Union Government that decreased the quota of food grains for the State and reduced the subsidy on food grains, All Kerala Retail Ration Dealers' Association State general secretary K. Radhakrishnan has said.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said here on Tuesday that a joint meeting of All Kerala Retail Ration Dealers' Association and Kerala State Retail Ration Dealers' Association will be held in Kochi on June 8 to chart out the agitation plan. He said the policy of the Union Government in the issue of allocation of food grains will destroy the public distribution system (PDS) in the State. That along with the hike in price of petrol and diesel will break the back of the common man, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.

Mr. Radhakrishnan opined that the UPA Government's policies will affect the State the most as Kerala was a food grain consumer State. But the Centre has a moral responsibility to ensure the food security of the State as it provided a major chunk of the foreign exchange flow to the country, noted Mr. Radhakrishnan. He said that the State should be given special consideration in the issue.

The liberalisation policies of the Centre had already increased the number of unemployed youth in the State, Mr. Radhakrishnan noted.

He said the ration dealers will unite all sections of people in the State against the Centre's decision to cut the food grain quota. He demanded that the Centre immediately revoke its decision.

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