Delhi urges Goyal to withdraw order disallowing doorstep ration delivery

Delhi's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain Monday requested Piyush Goyal to withdraw an order preventing the implementation of the city government's doorstep ration delivery scheme

Delhi's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain Monday requested Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal to withdraw an order preventing the implementation of the city government's doorstep ration delivery scheme.

The Centre had on October 8 written to the Delhi government's Food and Civil Supplies Department, saying the doorstep delivery of ration scheme is against the provisions of National Food Security Act 2013 and therefore "should not be implemented".

In a letter to Goyal on Monday, Hussain also alleged the Delhi government is being meted out "discriminatory treatment" as the other state governments have already implemented such schemes.

"I wonder why is Delhi being singled out for discriminatory treatment and objections are being raised to prevent the implementation of the scheme which is undeniably in public interest.

"Several other states such as Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have already rolled out home delivery of ration," Hussain wrote in the letter.

The Delhi government had on Tuesday resent the file on its doorstep ration delivery scheme to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for his approval after a Delhi High Court order had last month allowed the Kejriwal government to conditionally implement the scheme.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had on Saturday claimed that despite the High Court order, the Centre has once again refused to allow the Delhi government to implement the scheme on the basis of a complaint made by Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh.

The High Court in its order last month had directed the Delhi government to issue communications to all the fair price shop dealers informing them of the particulars of ration card-holders who have opted to receive their rations at doorsteps.

The court had said that only thereafter, the fair price shops dealers were not required to be supplied with the ration of the PDS beneficiaries who opted for doorstep delivery.

The minister said the Central government in its letter had said that doorstep delivery of ration scheme of the Delhi government is against the provisions of NFSA and therefore should not be implemented.

The minister further reiterated in the letter that the scheme is completely in accordance with the relevant provisions of the NFSA.

"The High Court allowed Delhi government to implement the scheme. It appears that this fact has not been brought to your kind notice and has been suppressed from you.

"We therefore request you to withdraw the letter under reply, lest an impression be created that the central government is party to the attempt of the petitioner to obstruct and overreach orders passed by the High Court," Hussain wrote in the letter.

The Arvind Kejriwal government had been at loggerheads with the L-G and the Centre for a long time over the implementation of its ambitious scheme.

Prior to this, the file was sent to Baijal twice earlier as well but the approval was not given.

The Delhi government's scheme for doorstep delivery of rations, Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna, was challenged by the Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh.

It was about to start the scheme in March this year but the Central government through the L-G got it stopped a week before it was started.