Delhi / Centre stopped doorstep delivery of ration scheme, claims Delhi's AAP govt

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday accused the Centre of stalling Delhi's doorstep delivery of ration scheme, which was scheduled to begin with one or two days. The scheme would have benefitted 72 lakh people in Delhi, but the LG has rejected the file citing an ongoing legal case and the absence of the Centre's approval.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's office issued a statement in which it was claimed that no approval from the Centre is required for such a scheme and the ongoing legal complications too do not deter the launch of the scheme as there has been no such court order. Delhi food minister Imran Hussain said the decision to reject the file is politically motivated.

The scheme was designed after informing the Centre and all the suggestions of the central government were incorporated. The file was sent to the LG for final approval on May 24, but it has been returned.

"Prime Minister, what nexus do you have with ration mafia that you stopped Kejriwal government's Ghar Ghar Ration Scheme?" the AAP tweeted.

Under the scheme, every ration beneficiary of Delhi would have received 4 kg wheat flour (atta), 1 kg rice and sugar per person at the convenience of their homes, the CMO said adding that this could have stopped ration mafia and beneficiaries would have got the supplies at home without going to the fair price shops. The scheme is also in tune with Centre's One Nation One Card scheme, it said.

The scheme, which has undergone a name change on Centre's direction, was scheduled to be launched on March 25. But the Centre raised a few objections which were addressed by the Delhi cabinet, the CMO said.

The obstruction will also dent Delhi's fight against the pandemic, the CMO said. "Centre’s obstruction also severely compromises Delhi’s fight against the third wave of Corona. As cautioned by experts, the next Covid wave may disproportionately target children. By forcing people to stand in long queues outside ration shops, it is likely that in the third wave the virus may pass from parents to their children. Keeping this in mind, the Delhi government had fast-tracked the implementation of this scheme," it said.