Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena has just approved draft Delhi Grievance Redressal Rules that will address grievances concerning the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Fair Price Shop (FPS) pending since 2013. However, Central assistance may be withheld if the rules are not notified on or before the end of June.
In approving these proposed rules, LG Saxena criticized the Delhi government for its lengthy delay. In 2017, both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court had directed the AAP government to create rules and establish the Commission in that same year. However, even after 10 years, Delhi has not yet established a State Food Commission or framed a Grievance Redressal Mechanism, which are both mandated by the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. In fact, the Mechanism and the Commission meant to look into critical aspects of transparent and corruption-free implementation of the TPDS under NFSA was even ordered to be put in place by the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court way back in 2017, with a 2017 deadline.
Despite clear orders from the Supreme Court, the government took six years to process the file and finally only acted under pressure from the Central Government. The government had threatened to withhold Central Assistance under NFSA if the Mechanism and the Commission were not established by the end of June.
LG Saxena finds it shocking that such a mechanism and body meant to redress grievances like non-opening of Fair Price Shops, non-issue of Specified Food Article (SFA), weight discrepancy of SFA, and overcharging for ration, etc. has been treated with such negligent disregard by a government that has on more than one occasion made serious political issues out of PDS and FPS.
It has taken about six years for the file to be resent to the Lt. Governor for approval, and that also under pressure from the Govt. of India which expressed its inability to continue with the Central Assistance, if the above-mentioned rules and body were not put in place by June 30th, 2023. It will be in fitness to things to mention here that this laxity on the part of the government has also been in violation/contempt of orders passed by the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, Raj Niwas said.
Overall, the LG sees the Delhi government’s delay as highly irresponsible, especially since it has repeatedly raised concerns over the PDS and FPS. Although the draft Delhi Grievance Redressal Rules have been approved, there is still much work ahead to implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 accurately and transparently.
