Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Thursday said the city government is committed to strengthen and ensure transparency in the public distribution system.
Hussain reviewed the functioning of the Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department of the Delhi government.
The meeting was also called to review the compliance of action taken in pursuance of the directions which were issued during the surprise inspection of three circle offices on October 11.
The AAP minister also reviewed the distribution of free ration under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and under ration portability (ONORC) scheme.
During the meeting, he said it was found the staff deployed in the circle office of the Food Supply Department were either not present in office or not attending office in time at the time of inspection. He directed the assistant commissioner to ensure punctuality in attendance of staff working in circle offices for prompt redressal of grievances of ration beneficiaries.
Hussain also reviewed the status of ration card deletion of various beneficiaries due to various reasons, including the beneficiaries not taking their ration for a long period, those who have reportedly shifted from their address or not found residing at their address.
With a cap of 72.77 lakh ration beneficiaries in Delhi for coverage under the National Food Security Act 2013, the minister informed that new ration cards will be prepared against the deletion of ineligible ration beneficiaries. This exercise will help in considering the pending applications of eligible ration card beneficiaries in getting ration under NFSA.
Hussain added that due to the smooth and orderly distribution of free ration under the ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) scheme, Delhi has become a benchmark in the country. Delhi is among the topmost performing states in ration distribution to migrants under the scheme.