Doorstep ration delivery scheme will have no name: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (File image)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the doorstep ration delivery scheme of his government would not have any name, a day after the Centre red flagged 'Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna' which was scheduled to start from March 25.

"We will accept all conditions of the Centre but will not allow any obstruction in implementation of the scheme," Kejriwal asserted in a press conference.

The Centre on Friday asked the Delhi government not to implement the 'Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna' saying it is "not permissible" to use subsidised foodgrain allotted under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for a state scheme.

The chief minister said a letter from the Centre on Friday noon informed that the doorstep delivery of ration scheme cannot be named'Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna' .

"Perhaps they had objection over Mujhya Mantri word. We are not doing this for credit or to polish our names. So now the scheme will have no name. There will be a Cabinet meeting on Monday and its proposal will be sent to the Centre," he said.

Kejriwal claimed it was very important for him to ensure ration delivery to poor people by removing ration mafia from the public distribution system.

"We dreamt of this scheme for 20-22 years and I was personally preparing for it for last 2-3 years, so our hearts sank after receiving Centre's objection but now we will not let any obstruction come in its way and accept all their conditions."

He said the doorstep delivery of ration was a revolutionary scheme in view of powerful mafia active in the field and hoped the scheme without any name would satisfy the Centre and it would have no objection now.

Kejriwal was scheduled to launch the scheme with doorstep delivery of ration to 100 households in northeast Delhi's Seemapuri on March 25.

The central government, however, said it would have no objection if the Delhi government came out with a separate scheme without mixing the elements of the NFSA.