The Delhi High Court recently permitted the city government to cut down supplies to fair price shops for those opting for doorstep delivery, noting that “an overwhelming majority” has opted for doorstep delivery.
A bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna on Tuesday adjourned the hearing to November 12.
The Delhi government’s door-to-door ration scheme will have adverse implications in the implementation of the “one nation, one ration card scheme” of the central government, meant to safeguard the interests of migrant beneficiaries , the Union government has submitted in the Supreme Court.
On a previous occasion a bench comprising of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh had directed the Delhi Government to issue communications to fair price shop dealers here informing them of the particulars of the cardholders who have opted for the delivery.
The Central Government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the order of the Delhi High Court which paved the way for the implementation of the Delhi Government’s door step delivery of ration scheme.
According to the Petition , the Delhi government’s door-to-door ration scheme will create an opaque public distribution system (PDS) that will put at risk numerous beneficiaries, especially migrant workers, who are covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the national capital.
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The Union added that the central government has time and again requested the Delhi government against the implementation of the door-to-door ration scheme because it is against the provisions of the NFSA.
“The GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) shall first issue communications to each of the fair price shop holders, informing them of the particulars of the ration card holders, who have opted to receive their rations at their door steps and, only thereafter, the rations, to the extent that they are being supplied to such optees, need not be supplied to the fair price shop holders”
-the high court order reads.
The Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of ration scheme was launched on March 25.
In February this year , Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh -a body of the fixed price shop owners, moved the high court challenging the tenders issued for the doorstep delivery scheme. Later, the petition was amended to challenge the ration delivery scheme with the association demanding that it should be declared ultra vires .On March 22, the high court directed the Delhi government not to stop or curtail the supply of foodgrains or flour, to the members of the petitioner association, for operationalizing the doorstep delivery.