Delhi govt’s food coupon scheme for poor yet to kick off, AAP MLAs say process is tedious

Under the scheme, all MLAs & MPs in Delhi were to get 2,000 food coupons to distribute to the poor who do not have documents such as Aadhar and ration cards.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal | ANI File photo

New Delhi: It’s been 10 days since Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that MLAs and MPs in the national capital would get 2,000 food coupons each to distribute to the poor who have no documents at all but the initiative is yet to kick off. 

Kejriwal even maintained Friday that the coupons were being distributed but ThePrint has learnt that the initiative, the Delhi Corona Sahayata Yojana, has been marked by multiple challenges and gross mismanagement. 

Chief among them is the fact that the Jan Samvad Team, formed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to coordinate with the MLAs and MPs, is yet to receive details of the beneficiaries from the elected representatives.    

Of the 70 MLAs and 10 MPs in Delhi, the Jan Samvad has received details from only two assembly constituencies so far — Hari Nagar and Tughlakabad. 

Sources told ThePrint that given the tedious procedure in identifying those without any documents, such as Aadhar and ration cards, it is unlikely that the scheme will take off even in the first two weeks of May. 

According to a notification issued by the Delhi government on 27 April, a copy of which is with ThePrint, the onus is on the MPs and MLAs to compile the lists of those who require the food supplies and share them on a common email created for the scheme. 

The delay in launching the scheme has also been caused by supply issues.  

“The delay is partially also because we are still clearing out the backlog for the non-ration card holders. We expected 10 lakh people but 38 lakh people enrolled for the same and hence supply has been a concern, but we have managed now,” a Delhi government official told ThePrint. Once this is cleared, the supply for those covered in the 2,000 coupons by each MLA and MP will be executed, she added.

Under the scheme, each coupon will fetch a beneficiary 4 kg of rice, 1 kg of wheat and additional kits containing 1 kg refined oil, 1 kg chhole chana, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg salt, 200 gm haldi powder,  200 gm dhania powder, 200gm chilli powder and two soap bars (65-70gms). 

The scheme is strictly for the poor with no documents and is in addition to the rations being provided to the PDS card holders and the non-PDS cardholders with Aadhaar cards. 

MLAs, MPs say not sure about process 

MLAs and MPs in the national capital that ThePrint spoke to said they weren’t sure on how to go about the process.  

Dhanwati Chandela, the AAP MLA from Rajouri Garden, told ThePrint that he won’t prepare any such list. “There are so many people in our constituency who need such e-coupons… How do I limit it to 2,000,” he said. “One jhuggi has three families staying in some areas here, so how do we do the maths and anyway the quantity prescribed is very less.” 

He further told ThePrint he was trying to make arrangements from his own money to provide more rice and pulses for the needy in his constituency.

Bhavna Gaur, the AAP MLA from Palam, told ThePrint that she was chalking out a list of names but added that it was a “complicated process”.  The AAP MLA also flagged the digitised nature of the scheme, saying it could hurt beneficiaries. 

Three separate members of the Jan Samvad team confirmed to ThePrint that E-bar codes will be sent to beneficiaries on their mobile numbers. “The code as well as the closest distribution centre details will be messaged to them on their mobiles. They can then show it to the person at the distribution centre and collect their kits,” a Delhi government official told ThePrint.

This digitisation, an AAP MLA from South Delhi said, defeated the whole purpose of the scheme as many migrants who need these coupons don’t have phones for each family member. “It was announced that these will be vouchers we can distribute to people we thought required them and those who couldn’t register online but now we learn a code will be sent to the beneficiaries,” the MLA said.

Concerns over duplication & identification process 

The AAP’s Jangpura MLA Praveen Kumar raised concerns that those who already have ration cards may send their other relatives to avail this scheme. “We have to be very careful while providing names as there might be duplication. While we are happy to help, we can’t let those who haven’t been getting any ration for their families suffer,” Kumar told ThePrint, adding that so far he has shortlisted 550 beneficiaries in his constituency.

Some have been complaining about the identification process. 

“Our MLA offices are closed given the lockdown. If we open them, people calling up on helplines will actually end up crowding outside the office, defeating the purpose of social distancing,” said an aide of an AAP MLA on the condition of anonymity. “If we ask volunteers to check door to door, some are reluctant given the pandemic.” 

Delhi Speaker Ram Niwas Sharma, the MLA of Shahdara, one of the most congested Delhi areas, said he was yet to receive the coupons. “We haven’t received any coupons yet. We are seeing who needs help, after that in a few days, the distribution will begin,” he said.   

While AAP MP Sanjay Singh was not available for comment, sources told ThePrint that his team isn’t aware about when and to whom beneficiary details have to be sent. He, however, has been running his own community kitchen since the beginning of the lockdown.

BJP MLAs, MPs reluctant to be part of the scheme

The scheme has also hit a political hurdle as elected members of the BJP have shown reluctance to be a part of it.  

The BJP’s East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir has already declined the coupons, instead, offering to provide ration for the needy by himself. 

“Thank you Arvind Kejriwalji for 2000 ration coupons but my volunteers have enough food to distribute till situation demands. Pls send these to MLAs and councillors in the area. I can send more ration to those willing to distribute! Do let me know,” Gambhir had tweeted on 28 April. 

Thank you @ArvindKejriwal ji for 2000 ration coupons but my volunteers have enough food to distribute till situation demands. Pls send these to MLAs & councillors in the area

If needed, I can send more ration to those willing to distribute! Do let me know! #IndiaFightsCorona

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) April 28, 2020

 

Talking to ThePrint, North-East Delhi MP and state BJP president Manoj Tiwari said, “What is the point of a scheme after 33 days of the lockdown and in fact it’s best to give these coupons to councillors since they know best who requires them.”  

He added that if the AAP government is feeding half the population of Delhi as it has been claiming, then “why are the MPs and even MLAs receiving endless phone calls about shortage of food and ration”.