‘If garments, pizza can be delivered to doorsteps, then why not ration?’
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged the Centre to allow the State Government to launch doorstep ration delivery.
The CM said crowded ration shops are corona hotspot and these shops could potentially turn into Covid-19 super-spreader zones in the city.
Kejriwal said, “If pizza, smartphones, and garments can be delivered to doorsteps, then why not ration?”
His reaction came a day after the Chief Minister Office (CMO) claimed that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal again rejected the Delhi Government’s “revolutionary” doorstep delivery of ration scheme.
However, according to L-G office, he did not reject the scheme but only advised that constitutional procedure should be followed.
In a virtual briefing, Kejriwal said the Delhi Government was completely prepared to launch the scheme in next week.
“All necessary tenders completed, and arrangements were done,” he said.
“In corona times, ration shops are corona hotspots, and with the launch of the scheme, many people could avoid crowding in these shops,” Kejriwal said, adding, “For the last 75 years, ration mafia ruled and they looted ration. Doorstep delivery would have been a revolutionary initiative.”
According to the Delhi Government, the city currently has 1.78 million ration card holders.
Sources in the Central Government claimed that the reason behind rejecting this scheme is because the ration is provided by the Centre and the Delhi Government cannot take credit for it.
Appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal said, “Believe me, Sir, I am not doing this work for even the slightest credit. I have only one aim: Somehow the poor should get their full ration. Please let me implement this, and all credit will be given to you. I will tell the whole world that this scheme was implemented by the Prime Minister.”