Delhi government's 'Doorstep Delivery of Ration Scheme' contravenes Food Act, says Centre

NEW DELHI:  The Centre on Monday opposed the Doorstep Delivery of Ration Scheme of the Delhi government and said that it cannot mitigate the architecture of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) while implementing it.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh was hearing a plea by Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh challenging the Delhi government’s scheme for doorstep delivery of ration, Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna.

The Centre stated that the fair price shops are an integral part of the food security act and the state has to fall into the architecture of the law. “We have no role in the selection of fair price shop owners. It is not that the system is placed by us and the state is prejudiced. It is chosen by the state government,” ASG Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, said.

Bhati said though the Act mandates obligations of both the Central and state government, the state is responsible for the execution of processes as mandated under the Act. Bhati along with Central government standing counsel Monika Arora further said if the state government wants, it is free to give benefits higher than the NFSA but they cannot mitigate or militate the architecture of the Act.

On November 15, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain the Centre’s plea against the Delhi high court order directing the AAP government not to stop or curtail the supply of foodgrains to fair price shops. The apex court said the September 27 order of the high court was an interim order and the matter is listed before the high court on November 22 and it would not like to entertain it.

The Centre earlier told the high court that as per the NFSA, it gives food grains to states which have to take it from the godown of the Food Corporation of India to deliver it to the doorsteps of fair price shops for distributing it to beneficiaries.