patna all the 55000 public distribution system pds shops in the state would remain open for nine hours each day to provide free rice and wheat to ration card holders in view of the coronavirus outbreak and resultant lockdown food and consumer protection department fcpd sources saidthe government has given the responsibility to run the 55000 pds shops to people from scheduled caste scheduled tribe and backward class communities as well as those from minority women and general sectionsthe pds shopkeepers had been on strike since may 1 seeking fulfilment of their 13point charter of demands the strike has been withdrawn and all the pds shopkeeprs have been informed about it state fair price dealers association fpda working president barun kumar singh said the decisions were taken in a telephonic conversation between fcpd minister madan sahni and fpda working president singhhenceforth the pds shops in state will remain open for nine hours each day from 7am to 4pm the oneday holiday given in a week has been done away with for the months of may and june the fcpd will provide protective gear to the pds shopkeeprsthe pds shopkeeprs will continue to take the thumb impressions of the ration card holders who receive foodgrain from their shops they had earlier demanded withdrawal of this provision to prevent spread of covid19 it was also decided to extend the age limit from 58 to 61 years for transfer of ownership of the pds shop by one shopkeeper to his dependent on compassionate ground