Delhi High Court gives AAP government nod to begin ration delivery at doorstep

The Delhi High Court has allowed the Delhi Government to divert ration delivery to cardholders at doorsteps, provided that it does not cause any shortage in the fair price shops. The decision was announced by a Division Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh. The court also directed the government to share the details of the cardholder with the fair price shop dealers in their area so that ration procured for these beneficiaries is not supplied to the shops.

The High Court said, “GNCTD shall 1st issue communication to each fair price shop holders, of particulars of ration cardholders, who opted to receive rations at doorsteps &, only then, ration, to extent that they're being supplied to such optees, needn't be supplied to fair price shop holders."

The Bench further said, “We, therefore, modify our order dated March 22, 2021. The Delhi government shall first issue communications to each of the fair price shop holders, informing them of the particulars of the ration cardholders, who have opted to receive their rations at their doorsteps and, only thereafter, the rations, to the extent that they are being supplied to such optees, need not be supplied to the fair price shop holders.”

The High Court was hearing a plea against Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana filed by Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers’ Sangh, which said that their share of ration will be diverted under this policy. Earlier in March, the court asked the Delhi government to ensure the supply of ration to the fair price shops fully and then invest in the doorstep delivery services.

Option to switch back to ration shops 

The court also allowed the Delhi government’s undertaking that whoever has subscribed for the doorstep delivery of ration under the PDS scheme can opt-out of the scheme at any point and can receive their share of ration from the fair price shops. Apart from modifying the order, they asked the Delhi Government to publicly announce the terms and conditions of the scheme and increase awareness in general. The doorstep delivery of services has been a popular promise of the Delhi Government, which has digitised most services.

(With ANI inputs)