CM Kejriwal Requests Centre To Approve Doorstep Ration Scheme, Says, "PM Modi Can Take Credit"

Delhi CM Kejriwal said that he had sought the Centre's approval five times and when the Delhi government was going to start the scheme. However, the Centre withdrew its approval just 2 days before the start of the drive.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference today alleging that the Centre has stopped the AAP government to commence its scheme of doorstep delivery of free ration even after the government complied with the Centre's conditions.

The Delhi CM said that everything was ready but the Centre stopped the revolutionary scheme. Training guns on BJP, he raised question, "Why Are you stopping us?"

Kejriwal said that for the last 75 yrs the country has been victimised by the ration mafia and now it is the time to change it.

Kejriwal also said that he has been fighting to provide ration to the poor and needy for the past 17 years, their team was also attacked 6 times but they continued to fight.

"Just two days before 'Doorstep Delivery of Ration' scheme's implementation in Delhi, the central govt stopped it. They claim we didn't take approval. We took approval not just once, but five times. Legally, we don't need Centre's approval but we did so out of courtesy", said the Delhi CM.

 

The Delhi CM even said that if the Centre wants he will give the credit to PM Modi for the scheme if the government allows running the drive. Kejriwal said that he has not launched the scheme to build an image but is working towards the larger interest of the nation.

Centre's stand on the ration scheme

However, Centre refuted all the claims made by the Delhi Chief Minister and said that he is just relaunching the Centre's doorstep delivery scheme with a different name while the ration which will be distributed will be provided by the Centre.

The Centre even asked Kejriwal to launch a new scheme if Delhi really wants to work for the poor people.

According to reports, the scheme was named as Chief Minister's Ration Scheme' and the Centre had objected to it as the fund for the ration is being allocated the central government. According to CM Kejriwal, the Delhi government later removed the word 'Chief Minister' from the name and again requested the Centre to approve the scheme but the BJP govt stalled their efforts and stopped the scheme.

 

After Kejriwal, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also held a press conference and said that Kejriwal is lying about the ration delivery scheme as under the National Food Security Act the BJP govt has allotted ration to the state which the Delhi government has already distributed. Sambit Patra called Kejriwal's scheme a scam that he is just bluffing people and scaring them. 

Patra also raised questions on Kejriwal on calling ration shops superspreaders and claimed that the Delhi CM is peddling fake news. Sambit Patra even alleged that Kejriwal had planned to steal the ration from the godown in the name of 'Ration scheme' which was halted by the centre on time.

AAP's attack on Centre

As per the Delhi government, all preparations for doorstep delivery of ration scheme for people of Delhi were in place and it was scheduled to rollout from next week.

"In March, BJP promised Home Delivery of Ration in Tamil Nadu. Today, BJP has stopped Home Delivery of Ration in Delhi. Dear @BJP4India, we once again ask you - Why do you hate Delhi?," AAP tweeted on Saturday with a hashtag #ModiProtectsRationMafia.

Delhi government, in May, announced that it will provide free ration to all ration cardholders in the national capital for the next two months. 

The scheme by the Delhi government allowed the distribution of 5 kg of foodgrains (4 kg wheat and 1 kg rice) per person, free of cost, for the months of May and June 2021, to non-PDS beneficiaries who do not possess any ration card.

On May 4, Kejriwal had announced that rations for the 7.2 million PDS beneficiaries will be distributed for free in the months of May and June. On May 18, he announced that free rations would also be given to people without ration cards.