NEW DELHI: In view of several complaints being filed against alleged violations of norms by officials, the Delhi government on Monday directed the food and civil supplies department to stay the cancellation of existing ration cards and also to make new ones immediately.
Food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain issued these directions through an order.
The department’s commissioner has been directed to stop the process of cancelling existing ration cards till further orders and to make new ration cards immediately.
There are 2,254 fair price shops in the national capital from where foodgrain is distributed to cardholders at subsidised rates.
In his order, the minister said that it has been brought to his notice by various MLAs, NGOs and the general public that several names have been deleted from the ration cards, while several thousand names have been added to the existing ration cards.
The order stated as per the complaints, thousands of ration cards have been made in the past 2-3 months without following the due process of law such as issuance of notice and house verification among others. “It is alleged that the department is not following procedure for addition and deletion of names in the ration cards and is acting in an arbitrary and malafide manner.
"In view of complaints, it is directed that the process of cancellation of existing ration cards and of new making ration cards may be stopped immediately till further orders," Mr Hussain said in his order.
The minister also said in case of any urgency for deletion or addition of names in ration cards, his approval should be sought.
