Ration dealers reject 10 paise commission hike as Centre clears ₹25,530 cr SARTHAK-PDS overhaul
All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation called the 10 paise/kg commission increase a 'cruel joke,' threatening protests across 5.5 lakh ration shops serving 80 crore beneficiaries. The Centre's ₹25,530 crore SARTHAK-PDS scheme (2026-31) aims to modernise distribution but dealers say margins of ₹2.28-₹9/kg remain unviable.
What happened
Centre approved ₹25,530 crore SARTHAK-PDS scheme for 2026-31 to modernise ration distribution, but fair price shop dealers slammed the mere 10 paise/kg
Key facts
- 10 paise per kg
- ₹25,530 crore
- 5.5 lakh ration dealers
- 80 crore beneficiaries
- ₹2.28 per kg
- ₹4.57 per kg
- ₹9 per kg
Why this matters
Centre's PDS overhaul opens partnership windows in last-mile digitisation, supply chain tech, and dealer-margin financing, particularly if commission disputes force structural channel redesign.