New Delhi: While the Delhi and Union governments continue to bicker over the former’s ambitious doorstep ration delivery scheme, with the latter insisting that rations provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can only be distributed through ration shops, a food rights campaigner has questioned why the doorstep model is not being used for distributing rations to those who do not have cards.Anjali Bharadjwaj of Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan said that the Supreme Court had directed the state governments, including Delhi Government, to provide a scheme to ensure that everybody – including migrant workers and people in the unorganised sector, even those without ration cards – has rations. She said there is nothing preventing the Delhi government from using this scheme for its doorstep delivery project since it does not involve NFSA rations.The Supreme Court had ordered the Delhi government and other state governments to come up with a scheme by July 31 for the distribution of rations to those who do not have cards. In its 80-page order on June 30 this year, the apex court had directed the state governments to introduce a scheme to supply dry rations and set up community kitchens to ensure that migrant workers without ration cards do not go hungry during the COVID-19 pandemic.Centre told HC that Delhi should not be allowed to dilute NFSAIn another ruling, the Delhi high court, on August 25 this year, also directed the Delhi government to distribute free rations to people without any insistence on producing ration cards. It was dealing with a petition by seven people from the unorganised sector who sought free supply of ration during the lockdown period, even without ration cards.The Union government also submitted before the Delhi high court recently that the Delhi government was free to launch its own scheme but cannot do anything which “dilutes or obstructs” the NFSA. It filed an application before the bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh on October 11, in which it said it was imperative to ensure that the government does not, in any manner, dilute the statutory requirement of the NFSA, 2013 which mandates that the beneficiary has to collect the ration from fair price shops.‘NFSA does not impact scheme for those not having cards’In view of this standoff and the SC ruling on providing rations to those not possessing cards, Bhardwaj said doorstep delivery can be done for distributing rations to those without cards since it does not come under the NFSA.“Here, they are not tied to the provisions of that law which says that ration has to be distributed through ration shops. So if the Delhi government wants, it can always distribute these rations to people who do not have ration cards through their doorstep delivery scheme. There is nobody stopping them from doing so.”The Delhi government, she said, also announced recently that it will devise a scheme to provide rations to people without ration cards. “So if it is serious about this scheme, it can use the doorstep delivery method for it.”‘Over 70 lakh people without cards await rations’The Supreme Court, she said, has also stated that rations under this scheme have to be distributed until the pandemic continues. “This ration will have to be provided by the Delhi government and it will have to tell the Union government how much ration it needs. So, this can become a great model for the doorstep ration delivery scheme. It will also help in learning; if there are problems they can be fixed. The government can show it can do a great job. Moreover, the Delhi government should start the scheme urgently, because people are living in a recession,” Bhardwaj said.Bhardwaj said the e-coupon scheme which was introduced for those without ration cards can cater to around 70 lakh people, which was just a shade less than the 72 lakh who are covered by the ration card scheme. “We, therefore, expect that the SC mandated scheme would be for all these 70 lakh people. It should be used by the Delhi government to demonstrate that their doorstep delivery model works.” she said.Supreme Court of India. Photo: Pinakpani/CC BY-SA 4.0What is the tussle aboutEarlier this year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Delhi had announced the launch of the Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna from March 25. The Union government objected to the use of the word “Mukhyamantri” or chief minister in the scheme and also pointed out that for a scheme involving the distribution of food grains allocated under the NFSA, any change in the delivery mechanism required an amendment to the Act by parliament.The Delhi government, on March 24, passed a cabinet decision to remove “Mukhyamantri” from the name and implement doorstep delivery of ration as part of the existing NFSA. The scheme was then sent by the Delhi government to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal for approval. However, on June 2, the LG returned the file related to the notification of the scheme, proposed to be implemented through private vendors, for reconsideration by the chief minister.The AAP government said the LG cited two reasons for rejecting the implementation of the scheme. One was that the Union government has not approved it and the other was that the matter was before a court. Ever since, the implementation of the scheme has been hanging fire and both sides are awaiting adjudication of the dispute.
