NEW DELHI: Despite the directions issued by the Supreme Court, the Delhi government's designated ration distribution centres are not providing foodgrains and rations to those below poverty line without ration cards, alleged NGO Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan (DRRAA).
The NGO wrote a letter to CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday asking him to provide foodgrains on a monthly basis to people who did not possess ration cards.
A survey was conducted by the DRRAA on October 18 and 19, with their officials visiting the schools or contacting them telephonically. The findings revealed that 282 schools across the city have been designated as ration distribution points for distributing foodgrains to non ration cardholders like migrant workers, homeless, beggars and others.
However, 106 schools from here were found out of ration, and the people in need returned empty-handed.
"After receiving information from people residing in different areas regarding the non-availability of ration under the Non-PDS scheme, volunteers of DRRAA checked the status of distribution at 106 schools and found that none had stock of ration/foodgrains for people without ration cards," said the NGO in the letter to Kejriwal.
The apex court on May 13 issued an order in the migrant workers' case, following which the state government formulated a policy to provide rations to people without ration cards in the last week of May 2021.
As per the policy, it was decided to distribute five kg of grains per person as one-time relief, and had a predetermined cap of 20 lakh people. "However, the court observed that having a cap of 20 lakh persons is 'a substantial underestimate' and 'is an exercise in arbitrariness' since that number appears to be improvised," added the NGO’s letter.