Kejriwal sends file for doorstep delivery scheme to LG once again

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday once again sent a file of the doorstep ration delivery scheme to the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal, two weeks after its implementation was stalled by the Centre.

Kejriwal informed the LG that all objections raised by the Centre have been rectified, and asked why the scheme was being stopped, even though the High Court has not put a stay on it.

The scheme was scheduled to launch on June 7. In a press conference on June 6, Kejriwal had hit out at the Centre for stopping the scheme and asked why, despite writing to the Centre five times, it had been stalled.

"Just two days before the 'Doorstep Delivery of Ration' scheme's implementation, the Central government stopped it. Even if legally, we don't need the Centre's permission to implement this scheme, and even if the Delhi government is fully capable of executing this, we got your approval not just once, but five times," he said.

He further said that several of the Centre's objections had been already been addressed in March, including the name of the scheme.

The scheme was originally named the MMGGRY (Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana) but was later dropped following a notification on March 9 by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs that said that subsidised foodgrains allocated for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) cannot be used for schemes under a different name.

Regarding the HC's stay, the Chief Minister informed that Centre said that this scheme is being halted because ration shopkeepers have filed a case in the Delhi High Court against it.

"How can you scrap the scheme for this purpose? Ration shopkeepers had gone to the HC for a stay. The HC denied. When the HC did not grant a stay, how could you?" he said.

( With inputs from ANI )