Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said that the Central Government has rejected a proposal for doorstep delivery of ration in the city “This is the first time in the history of India that we have a Prime Minister who quarrels this much,” Sisodia added.
Attributing this to a letter from the Union Government to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government, Sisodia said, “On Tuesday, there was a letter from the Centre to the Delhi Government that the proposal for doorstep delivery of ration has been rejected. We had not sent any proposal. It is the State Government’s right to decide how to distribute ration.”
Briefing reporters virtually, Sisodia said that the PDS falls under the ambit of the State Government. "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made an announcement of a scheme to deliver ration. The Centre had earlier suggested the removal of the term ‘Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna’ from the scheme, which the Delhi Government had accepted immediately. But now, in a letter addressed to the Delhi Government, the Centre has rejected the scheme entirely," Sisodia said.
Reading the letter from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Sisodia said, “The Central Government has cited reasons like pricing, verification of addresses, mobility in narrow lanes and multi-storey houses where the poor live and accommodating change of addresses etc in the rejection letter.
These are blatant excuses by the Central Government. One of the reasons given in the letter is how will the delivery of ration be ensured if the vehicle carrying it breaks down or gets stuck in traffic. Such excuses are very unbecoming of a Prime Minister in the 21st century. If pizza, clothes and food can be delivered all around the country, why not ration for the poor?”
Kejriwal also tweeted on the issue and said, "We received a disparaging letter from the Central Government citing senseless reasons to stop the doorstep delivery of ration to our people.
Delivery of ration might get hindered due to vehicles being stuck in traffic or because people live on the third floor in buildings are some reasons cited in the letter by the Central Government. Our country, in the 21st century, has reached the moon but PM Modi is stuck on the third floor. Quarrelling with everyone around, whether it is on twitter, with Lakshadweep, Mamata didi, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Delhi Government, the farmers, businesspeople, and even the Chief Secretary of West Bengal.
How will our nation develop if all our Central Government does is fight constantly? The doorstep delivery of ration is for the people of our nation, there is no need to add obstructions here.”
“PM Modi has left all his work and has resorted to just fighting and obstructing the work of State Governments. Why has PM Modi adopted such a quarrelsome nature? In 75 years of Indian history, it is perhaps the first time that we have a PM who fights all the time.
Sometimes with the CM of West Bengal or with the CM of Maharashtra or even with officials of States on Facebook or Twitter. Seems like the PM wakes up every morning and makes a list of who to fight with everyday," Sisodia said.
