New Delhi, Jun 11 (IANS): The BJP on Friday alleged that the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is under the control of ration mafia.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "Arvind Kejriwal is talking about home delivery of ration, while he could not provide delivery of oxygen at doorstep or medicine from mohalla clinics.
Home delivery of ration is also a 'jumla'. The Delhi government is under the control of the ration mafia."
Referring to the Food Security Act, Prasad, said: "Act provides periodic audit and monitoring of ration shops by a vigilance committee."
He said that the government gives wheat at Rs 2 per kg, rice at Rs 3 per kg across the states under Food Security Act, while the rice and wheat cost Rs 37 and Rs 27 per kgs respectively.
"The government gives subsidised food grains to the states for distribution through ration shops. The government had spent about Rs 2 lakh crore annually on subsidies," he said.
Prasad added that like last year, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, this year also free ration is being given to the poor till November.
He further said that the government provides 37,573 tonnes of food grains to the Delhi government for distribution among 73 lakh people every month.
The Union Minister asked why the Kejriwal government did not implement 'One Nation, One Ration Card' in the national capital, which was rolled out across the country except in three states.
He further claimed that after four lakh bogus ration cards found in Delhi, the Kejriwal government stalled authentication of PoS (point of sale) machines within four months of introducing it in January 2018 under pressure from the ration mafia.
"Why authentication of beneficiaries through PoS machines has not started in Delhi's ration shops from April 2018 till now," Prasad said.
He also claimed that the Kejriwal government has no data of SC/ST beneficiaries in the city.
The Minister added that the Delhi government should come out with a new scheme for home delivery of rations and purchase food grains from the centre.
"Government will provide ration for new scheme of Kejriwal at reasonable price," he said.