Sheila Dikshit directs officials to ready ground for food plan

A day after announcing her intention to launch the food security scheme in Delhi on August 20, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit asked the department of food and civil supplies to prepare the draft for the scheme roll out.

A day after announcing her intention to launch the food security scheme in Delhi on August 20, chief minister Sheila Dikshit asked the department of food and civil supplies to prepare the draft for the scheme roll out.

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The draft note will be reviewed by a committee consisting food and civil supplies minister Haroon Yusuf, MPs Mahabal Mishra and Sandeep Dikshit and MLAs Mateen Ahmed, Subhash Chopra and Kunwar Karan Singh.

The panel will also have principal secretaries of finance and food and civil supplies department. The Cabinet will take a final decision over the issue.

On Tuesday, Dikshit directed chief secretary DM Spolia and the department of food and civil supplies to complete the groundwork for launching the scheme, sources said.

She later went to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of Delhi government’s preparations to launch the scheme. Dikshit is likely to give a presentation to Sonia Gandhi on July 13.

According to officials, there are about 17 lakh ration card holders — below poverty line, Antodaya and JRC — who are entitled to wheat, rice and sugar at subsidised rates under the public distribution system.

“The challenge is to ensure food security to such a large number of people. The government may even have to trim the list of beneficiaries in accordance with the scheme,” a senior official said.

Sources said Dikshit has called another meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue further.