New Delhi, Mar 19 (IANS): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government has accused the Centre of putting its flagship doorstep ration delivery scheme on hold, the office of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told IANS on Friday.

This came as the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been at loggerheads for the last few weeks especially after the Centre presented the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) Bill (Amendment) 2021 in the Lok Sabha, which seeks to give more powers to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.

"The BJP ruled Centre has put Delhi government's doorstep delivery scheme on hold. Delhi government's flagship scheme is to provide food grains for the people of the national capital at their doorstep," said a source in the Delhi government.

The Kejriwal government had notified the scheme for the doorstep delivery of rations, which as per the earlier announcement was supposed to roll out by March-end this year. Kejriwal had announced the scheme during his Republic Day speech at the Delhi Secretariat.

The scheme announced under the 'Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna' (MMGGRY) under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) of the National Food Security Act, 2013, was notified by the government on February 20. The MMGGRY involves the delivery of packed wheat flour and rice to beneficiaries at their doorstep.

IANS has learnt that the Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation has prepared a list of beneficiaries, their quota and biometric specifications according to which they will have to pay a processing charge along with the cost of subsidised food grains.

Kejriwal mentioned in his Republic Day address that all beneficiaries in the Capital who have a ration card can avail the benefits of the scheme. The scheme will be optional and existing TPDS beneficiaries will have to specify to enrol under it. Delhi has nearly 17 lakh PDS beneficiaries.