New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday set aside the Aam Aadmi Party government's doorstep ration delivery scheme, Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna. The high court had allowed two petitions filed by ration dealers challenging the scheme. As per news agency PTI, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh said that the Delhi government is free to bring another doorstep delivery scheme but it cannot use grains provided by the Centre for this doorstep scheme.
The high court had on January 10 reserved its order on the pleas by petitioners Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh and Delhi Ration Dealers Union after holding extensive hearings.
The Kejriwal government has been at loggerheads with the Centre for a long time over the implementation of its ambitious scheme, which it also announced in Punjab following its massive win in the state.
The Delhi Cabinet had on July 21, 2020, approved the proposal of the scheme and named it 'Mukhyamantri Ghar-Ghar Ration Yojna'.
Implementation of the scheme was notified on February 20, 2021.
The Delhi government had made all preparations to start the scheme from 25th March 2021, but an objection was raised by the Centre.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs had said the foodgrains being allotted by the Centre for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) cannot be used for running a state-specific or any other scheme by any name.
Considering the objection, the Kejriwal government dropped the word 'Mukhyamantri' from the name of the scheme and decided to implement it under the existing NFSA Act.
However, the file of the scheme sent to L-G failed to get his approval.
(With Agency Inputs)