Delhi govt defends doorstep ration delivery in HC
New Delhi, Nov. 29: The Delhi government on Monday defended its Doorstep Delivery of Ration Scheme before the Delhi high court, saying that it is a “complete misconception” that fair price shops cease to exist upon implementation of the scheme. The Delhi government contended that it is an optional scheme and beneficiaries can opt out any time and that not a single beneficiary has questioned the mode and manner of implementation of the scheme.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said the emphasis is that the fair price shops (FPS) should not be ousted from the system with the implementation of the scheme.
“The Centre’s submission is that FPS is an integral part of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), therefore, you cannot do away with that,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, submitted that it was a misconception that the state is seeking to do away with FPS.
“In the last two years, there has been home delivery of everything, be it Covid generated or non-Covid generated. It is a complete misconception or wrongly implied that FPS ceases to exist.
This doorstep delivery is an optional scheme and beneficiaries can opt out any time. This is nothing but proxy litigation set up by somebody else who is not the petitioner,” Mr Singhvi argued.
He further said that with the march of technology, doorstep delivery becomes the norm and this is something that needs applause and not criticism. He said states like Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka’s Bengaluru have identical doorstep delivery schemes.
The court, which was hearing a plea by the Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh challenging the Delhi government’s scheme for doorstep delivery of ration, the Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana, listed the matter for further arguments on December 3.
Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, said the court should not allow any state to interfere with the structure of NFSA and destroy its architecture. She praised the Delhi government for implementing the Central government’s One Nation One Ration Card scheme under the NFSA in an “exceedingly well” manner.