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Home delivery of atta: HC seeks Punjab’s response on plea from depot holders
It was in May that the AAP cabinet had approved its flagship programme of atta delivery system at doorstep by October 1
The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought response from Punjab government on a plea from the state’s depot holders’ welfare association challenging the government move to deliver atta (wheat flour) at doorstep.
The high court bench of Justice Vikas Suri has posted the matter for September 28.
The plea seeks quashing of the decision made 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 also says that state be directed to distribute the same through these depot holders under the National Food Security Act, 2013, as was being done so far. It argues that essential commodities can only be distributed through fair price shops as per the central and state governments’ instructions from time to time.
It was in May that the AAP cabinet had approved its flagship programme of atta delivery system at doorstep by October 1. Currently, the same is being done through 17,000 fair price shops.
It has been argued that if this scheme is implemented, it will leave them 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 the high court intervention.
