L- G may stall AAP govt proposal
The AAP government and lieutenant- governor Anil Baijal are all set for another face- off over the recent Cabinet decision granting approval for home delivery of ration under Targeted Public Distribution System to all its beneficiaries in the national capital. The cabinet, chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, had recently given a go- ahead to the scheme despite objections raised by the law and finance departments of the city government.
Sources said that the Cabinet decision, which is pending L- G’s approval, may not be cleared as the two key departments had raised serious objections over the implementation of the home delivery scheme. The two departments had said that the home delivery of ration cannot be made as the scheme has to be implemented in accordance with Central rules. The state governments provide subsidised wheat, rice and sugar under the Targeted Distribution System in accordance with Central rules.
Sources said if Raj Niwas does not approve the city Cabinet decision on home delivery of ration, there are chances that the AAP leaders may go all out to raise their voice against any such decision. The AAP government has already expressed its serious concern over the decrease in the number of ration card holders.
The number of ration card holders in Delhi has gone down from 30 lakh to 19 lakh in the past few years. The issue had hit headlines when two AAP legislators questioned chief secretary Anshu Prakash over the contentious issue and also alllegedly assaulted him in chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. It is learnt that the Cabinet had accorded approval to the proposal of the department of food, supply and consumer affairs for providing doorstep delivery of wheat, rice and sugar to eligible beneficiaries of Targeted Public Distribution System under National Food Security Act 2013.
The Cabinet had taken this decision by over- ruling the objections raised by the law and finance departments.