Tamil Nadu Government Fair Price Shops Employees Union staged a protest in the city on Friday, pressing a charter of demands, including an increase in wages and pension benefits. The Union’s State president, K. Jeyachandraraja, said a wage revision committee must be constituted under the chairmanship of a civil servant to revise the wages of fair price shops employees in line with their educational qualification.
“Packers or helpers must be appointed, at least on a temporary basis, in all fair price shops,” he said.
Mr. Jeyachandraraja stressed that many co-operatives did not provide pension benefits to the fair price shop employees. Retired employees must be extended such benefits. “Shops run by women should also be brought under the control of co-operatives and women employees must be given better wages,” he said.
“The fingerprint match threshold for biometric authentication, which was revised from 40% to 90%, has affected cardholders, particularly senior citizens. This must be restored to 40% match,” he added.
“Moreover, non-controlled goods like tea and salt must be supplied based on the needs of the ration shops and must be sold at a price lower, than in the retail market,” he asserted.
Published – December 13, 2025 06:53 am IST
