Transport of food grains in Delhi now an essential service

THE MOVE IS AIMED AT CUTTING DELAYS IN RATION DELIVERY DUE TO LOCKDOWNS, CURFEWS, STRIKES AND OTHER POTENTIAL INTERRUPTIONS

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has notified the movement of food grains for the public distribution system (PDS) – largely transport of wheat and rice from other states to the Capital and from godowns to fair price shops within the city – as an essential service till at least February next year.

The move, said senior government officials, is aimed at reducing delays in delivery of monthly rations caused by lockdowns, curfews, strikes and other potential interruptions.

“The government of NCT of Delhi, in order to ensure maintenance of the essential and uninterrupted services, declared movement of the food grains up to Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in Delhi, loading unloading of the food grains at the godowns,... further transportation of food grains from these godowns to fair price shops/designated locations, their loading/ unloading of the food grains at these locations, as essential services for a period of six months…,” said the order issued by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s office on August 19, a copy of which HT has seen.

Two senior officials in the Delhi government’s home and civil supplies departments said the notification will help resolve frequent delays in ration distribution even if there are lockdowns due to a potential third wave of the pandemic.

Ration distribution in the city usually starts in the first week of every month but since April this year, when several states imposed local lockdowns in the light of severe surges in Covid cases, Delhi has faced severe delays every month. According to documents seen by HT, ration for April and May were disbursed together at the end of May; in June, ration distribution started on the 21st; July saw a delay of 20 days; and in August, it started on the 25th.

During the first nationwide lockdown imposed in March 2020, the central government issued directions to all states, asking them to keep movement of food grains meant for ration distribution as an essential service till the time the restrictions were in place.

“But when the second wave of the pandemic hit India in March 2021, states went for individual lockdowns and several of them, including Delhi, did not separately notify movement of food grains that is meant for ration distribution as an essential service, thinking it won’t be a problem as ration shops and offices engaged in the public distribution system were already notified as essential services,” said an official in the Delhi home department who did not wish to be identified.

An official in the civil supplies department, who too did not wish to be identified, said, “Transport of food grains faced issues in some state or the other, eventually affecting supply and distribution in Delhi. Fuel price strikes by transporters in the subsequent months made the situation worse. Now that it is covered under essential services, any obstruction to transport of food grains will be a punishable offence with a jail term up to six months.”

Many beneficiaries welcomed the intervention. “Delays in ration distribution in the last few months has been a major problem. If the government is working on it, it is a big relief,” said Rakesh Kumar, a factory worker who lives with his family in the slums along the rail tracks in west Delhi’s Mayapuri industrial area.

Shailendra Kumar, president of Delhi Public Distribution System Welfare Association, said, “This initiative will help ensure ration supplies are not delayed under any circumstances... To further ease the system, the government should consider entrusting individual fair price shop owners to take charge of transport of food grains between godowns and shops.”

Naveen Kumar Gupta, secretary general of All India Motor Transport Congress, too supported the move. “But the new rule should not be used to force transporters into ferrying goods by incurring losses. The government should immediately implement policies to waive off loans of transporters, reduce certain taxes and check corruption. Also, truckers should be categorised as frontline workers.”