Ration at doorstep

The scheme to deliver free ration at home to the beneficiaries may have hit a roadblock in Delhi, but the AAP government’s decision to implement it in Punjab is an experiment worth trying. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s commitment to put an end to the indignity of having to stand in long queues, often at the cost of losing daily wages and in extreme weather conditions, is a worthy proposition, as is his promise to ensure the quality of ration items distributed. The challenges, though, are manifold. The Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana is optional, but the sheer numbers involved would require additional manpower and extra spending on transportation. The crux of the logistics would revolve around planning the operation, and the role of ration depots may have to be re-defined over the course of time.

The Kejriwal government had launched doorstep delivery in 2018 in the national capital, covering 30 public services such as handing over caste, marriage, birth certificates, and even new water connections. In 2019, 70 more public services were added, before the pandemic struck. Ration at doorstep, however, was opposed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, saying grains provided under the National Food Security Act, 2013, can only be distributed through fair price shops. In Punjab’s case, the Central food security law was tweaked to provide wheat flour at Rs 2 per kg and pulses at Rs 20 per kg to 1.54 crore individual beneficiaries under the already operational Atta-Dal scheme. Currently, only 5-kg wheat per month is given at ration depots, and that too once every quarter. The Centre’s uncompromising stand in Delhi could mean funding woes for Punjab for its doorstep scheme.

A positive outcome of the doorstep delivery could be a social audit to weed out fake beneficiaries. AAP has dwelt at length on its plans for social security and hassle-free public services, the time for delivery is here.