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Home delivery of atta: HC restrains Punjab govt from awarding tender
The plea was from state Depot Holders Welfare Association challenging government’s move to deliver wheat flour at doorstep. It opposed decision to distribute atta at doorstep.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained Punjab government from awarding tender for home delivery of atta (wheat flour) at doorstep.
The high court bench of chief justice RS Jha and justice Arun Palli, said that in the meanwhile, the determination process for the firm for delivery may continue but no third party rights would be created till the next date of hearing, which is October 17.
The plea was from state Depot Holders Welfare Association challenging government move to deliver atta (wheat flour) at doorstep.
The plea sought quashing of the decision taken by the state authorities to distribute atta to the targeted distribution system beneficiaries through newly appointed distribution delivery agencies after replacing the fair price shops. The plea argued that state be directed to distribute the same through these depot holders under National Food Security Act, 2013, as was being done so far. Essential commodities can only be distributed through fair price shops as per central government and state governments’ instructions from time to time, it had argued.
It was in May that AAP cabinet had approved its flagship program of atta delivery system at doorstep by October 1, 2022. Currently, same is being done through 17000 fair price shops. However, during the proceedings it came to fore that due to litigation it has got delayed. Earlier, the case was being heard by the single bench but on September 13, it referred the matter to a division bench.
The plea argues that if this scheme is implemented, it will leave depot holders jobless, therefore the process of distribution of ration should be done through the depot holders only. The plea also argues that similar move started in Delhi had to be stopped after high court intervention.
