Poor in Delhi may soon get ration at doorstep

The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to deliver ration in packets at the houses of beneficiaries, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.

Addressing media persons here, Sisodia said the decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting and that the home delivery under Targeted Public Distribution System will be done by a private company.

The proposal will now be sent to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for his approval and then a tender will be floated for hiring the private company for delivery.

The Deputy Chief Minister also urged the Lt. Governor to approve the scheme as soon as possible and added that people with vested interests had tried to stop the scheme even through a "Cabinet note".

"The Cabinet approved the Department of Food, Supply and Consumer Affairs proposal for providing doorstep delivery wheat/atta, Rice and Sugar for eligible beneficiaries of Targeted Public Distribution System under National Food Security Act 2013," an official statement said.

The statement said that the project for doorstep delivery of food grains is aimed at reforming the Targeted PDS in public interest.

"Delhi government is committed to ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their due ration in a transparent manner with maximum ease," it said.

The government had earlier introduced Aadhaar-based identification of ration holders but it was marred with various problems.

"Given this experience, doorstep delivery of ration is aimed at removing the problems faced by ration beneficiaries," the statement said.

Last week, Sisodia had alleged that Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash and other officers were working under the influence of the ration mafia.

He had also said that senior officers were trying to block doorstep-delivery of ration, as it would put an end to the ration mafia.

--IANS

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