The Hindu : New Delhi News : Rations being diverted, alleges BJP

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Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008
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New Delhi

Rations being diverted, alleges BJP

Staff Reporter

Urges the Lieutenant-Governor to order a high-level enquiry into the scam

“The high and mighty of Delhi Government involved”
“Also questions the stamping of ration cards”

NEW DELHI: Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Harsh Vardhan on Monday urged Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna to order a high-level enquiry into alleged siphoning off of rations from fair price shops.

Stating that the rations meant for the poor were being diverted to the black market, he charged that the high and mighty of the Delhi Government were involved in the scam.

Dr. Vardhan said “a diary found during a raid” had yielded some names but the matter was not enquired into properly. Alleging that the diversion of the rations was continuing to this day, he also questioned the manner in which stamping of ration cards was being done.

“The Delhi Government is now showing its unwillingness to stamp the ration cards of those having income of up to Rs.1 lakh per annum,” he said.

‘Cheap popularity’

Stating that the Government had announced the stamping to “gain cheap popularity”, he said it had been flummoxed by the huge number of applications. “It does not want to provide ration to all the people because the Congress leaders are benefiting by selling the rations meant for the people in the black market in this time of price spiral,” he said.

The BJP leader said the Delhi Government had earlier announced that it would provide 25 kg of wheat, 10 kg rice, 6 kg sugar and 22 litres of kerosene to all Above Poverty Line card holders at Rs.4.65 per kg for wheat, Rs.6.15 per kg for rice, Rs.13.50 per kg for sugar and Rs.9.16 per litre for kerosene.

While by the last date for stamping of APL cards on March 31 nearly 13 lakh ration card holders had got their cards stamped, by the extended deadline of April 15 another three to five lakh card holders are expected to join the scheme, he said. Moreover, the number of Below Poverty Line card holders is 288,213 and under Antodaya Yojna the number of ration card holders is 150,235.

With the total number of ration card holders being around 29 lakh, Dr. Vardhan said it now appeared that the Delhi Government would not be able to provide rations to all these people and despite its tall claims and promises many would be forced to live off expensive grains and oil purchased from the open markets.

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