Explained | The fate of the Delhi government’s doorstep ration delivery scheme

The scheme has been stalled ever since the Delhi government released its first proposal in 2018

The story so far: The Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s doorstep ration delivery scheme was set aside by the Delhi High Court on May 19, four years after the scheme was first proposed. The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh ruled that the Delhi government was free to introduce another doorstep delivery scheme, but it could not use grains provided by the Centre.

The scheme, described by the Arvind Kejriwal government as “revolutionary,” was developed with the aim of countering the “ration mafia.” It had been in the making since 2015, with the first proposal being approved by the Delhi Cabinet in 2018.

The food grain delivery scheme proposed by the Delhi government sought to rely on the Public Distribution System (PDS) of the Central government. This system falls under the aegis of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, which aims to provide food and nutritional security to all citizens. The Act covers two-thirds of the country’s population, allowing them to receive subsidised food grains such as wheat and rice under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) for the weaker sections of the population.

The Food Corporation of India and recognised State authorities procure food grains at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) from farmers. The Corporation then transports and allocates the grains in bulk to States and Union Territories.

It is the State/UT governments which then have the operational responsibility of identifying eligible households, issuing ration cards, and allocating grains within the State. This is done through Fair Price Shops (FPSs) where families can collect their monthly food grains at subsidised rates. Priority Households (PHH) receive a total of 5kg of grains per month at subsidised rates of Rs.3 per kg for rice and Rs.2 per kg for wheat.

Under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), formulated for the “poorest of the poor”, segments of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families can get up to 35 kg of food grains per month at the same rates, along with a kilogram of sugar at Rs.1 per kg.

Eligible families covered under the NFSA usually have to visit the nearest Fair Price Shops to collect their subsidised grains. The ration scheme envisioned by the Delhi Government proposed to deliver monthly rations in sealed packets to the doorsteps of PDS beneficiaries.