Delhi Govt Won’t Take Credit for Ration-at-Doorstep Scheme: Arvind

CM Arvind Kejriwal noted that the ‘revolutionary scheme’ was going to start in Delhi from 25 March.

File image of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

(Photo: IANS)

Responding to the Centre’s move to stop Delhi government’s ration-at-doorstep scheme, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, 20 March, announced that the scheme will not have any name.

“Centre wrote to us yesterday that we can't implement it. The letter read that (the) scheme can't be called Mukhya Mantri Yojana. I held a meet with offices today and told them to remove the scheme's name. We'll just deliver ration at people's doorstep without the scheme having a name", said Kejriwal on Saturday, as quoted by ANI.

He further noted that the “revolutionary scheme” was going to start in Delhi from 25 March onwards and was a solution for those who had to stand in queues to get ration from shops and were facing issues, added the report.

“The Delhi government will not take any credit for doorstep ration delivery scheme”, said Kejriwal to PTI on Saturday, adding that he is “ready to accept all conditions of the Centre but will not allow any obstructions”.

“Why is Modi government against ending Ration Mafia?” asked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in a tweet, lashing out against the Centre’s blocking of the scheme on Friday, 19 March.

AAP tweets about the Centre blocking the Delhi government’s ration-at-doorstep scheme. Photo Courtesy: Screenshot/Twitter

WHAT DID THE UNION MINISTRY SAY?

As per NDTV, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs had said, in a note, on Friday:

“The department will have no objection if a separate scheme is made by the (Delhi) government without mixing the elements of the NFSA foodgrains.”

Further, the Food Ministry Joint Secretary S Jagannathan wrote in its letter to the Delhi government:

“The use of new nomenclature/scheme name for the distribution of National Food Security Act foodgrain by GNCTD (Delhi Government) is not permissible but this Department will have no objection if a separate scheme is made by the State Government without mixing elements of the National Food Security Act foodgrain.” 

MORE DETAILS

The Delhi government’s ration delivery scheme ''Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna'' was slated to be launched on 25 March.

As per NDTV, Kejriwal had, in his Republic Day address, said that the initiative would be a revolutionary step in altering the public distribution system.

The Delhi government was, via this scheme, planning to provide packaged wheat flour, packaged rice and packaged sugar under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

Lamenting the Union ministry’s decision to roadblock the scheme, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said it would have helped the poor man get his ration at home, and asked why does the central government object to it.

(With inputs from NDTV, PTI and ANI.)