Centre advocating ration delivery vindicates our stand: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi said on Friday that the Central government advocating doorstep delivery of ration vindicates their stand.

The party's chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told IANS that the Central government is not clearing their files on the proposal for doorstep delivery of ration to the poor but it is telling others to follow the same scheme.

"Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has worked for decades on the PDS system and its deficiencies in the urban slums of Delhi. His NGO was known for 'ration activism'. He designed the plan after careful analysis and study from both sides of the table," Bharadwaj said.

Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday asked the states to deliver ration at the doorsteps of Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries unable to visit Fair Price Shops (FPS).

"Lt. Governor Anil Baijal instead of approving the scheme created hurdles. Despite that, the Delhi government has continued its efforts. The Minister's sit-in at Baijal's office was on this issue also. Whole nation knows that we are demanding this for the people of Delhi," he said.

"Now that the Union Food Minister is advocating and recommending the idea, it vindicates our stand with regard to the scheme," he added.

The door-to-door delivery of ration is a scheme proposed earlier this year by the Delhi government, which is yet to be approved by the Centre.

Under the scheme, the ration including wheat flour, rice and sugar will be delivered to the homes of the people of Delhi in sealed packets in line with the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013.

"The plan is to bring transparency in food distribution," Bhardwaj said.

--IANS

nks/nir/bg