Palakkad: The Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in Kerala has ordered a reduction in the working hours of ration shops across the state.

The ration shops will now open at 9 am instead of 8 am and operate from 9 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm.

Ration shop owners had staged a protest three months ago, alleging that Minister for Food and Civil Supplies of Kerala GR Anil had not fulfilled his promise regarding revised shop timings.

Until now, shops operated from 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm. The authorities said the schedule was originally set so that all workers, including those in employment-guarantee schemes, could buy ration items without disrupting their work schedules.