Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to allow the implementation of doorstep ration delivery scheme in the national capital.
In his letter to PM Modi, Kejriwal said that his government had supported the centre on various matters of "national interest" and asked for similar consideration in this matter.
"Till date, I have supported you in all the work of national interest, you should also support us for the same. The scheme should be implemented in the whole country during the COVID times. We are ready to do whatever amendments the Central government wants to make to this scheme. I request you in folded hands on behalf of 70 lakh poor people of Delhi, Sir, please do not stop this scheme," wrote Kejriwal in his letter to Prime Minister Modi.
In his letter to PM Modi, Kejriwal said that the scheme should be implemented across the country in view of COVID-19.
"It is important that this scheme be implemented - not just in Delhi but the whole country - during the coronavirus pandemic," the letter said.
On Sunday, Arvind Kejriwal had slammed the Central government for putting a stop to the government's doorstep ration delivery scheme that was scheduled to start on Monday, asking why, despite writing to the Centre five times, the scheme had been brought to a halt.
In a press conference, Kejriwal said that all preparations had been made for the scheme.
"Just two days before the 'Doorstep Delivery of Ration' scheme's implementation, the Central government stopped it. If this ghar-ghar ration scheme was implemented, the ration mafia would be stopped. The strings of this ration mafia reach right to the top. This is the first time a government has had courage to stand up to the ration mafia," 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 a notification on March 9 was issued by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs that the subsidised foodgrains being allocated by the department for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) cannot be used for running any state-specific or other scheme under a different name other than NFSA.
Following this, the Delhi government dropped the name. "We agreed to your objections and removed the name. Despite all this, you are saying that we did not get approval. How else does one take approval? If pizza, burgers, smartphones and clothes can be delivered at home, why not ration to the homes of the poor?" he had asked.
(With inputs from PTI)
