Delhi Government is under control of ration mafia, says Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi: Calling Arvind Kejriwal's 'doorstep ration delivery scheme a "jumla", Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday accused the Delhi government of working under the control of the ration mafia.

Taking a dig at Kejriwal, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "What Kejriwal is talking about home delivery of ration when he even failed to provide oxygen to the people of Delhi."

He further questioned the Chief Minister of Delhi and asked,"why the Centre's "One Nation, One Ration Card" scheme was not implemented in the national capital."

Briefing mediapersons, Prasad said, "Arvind Kejriwal ji is talking about delivering ration in every household. He could not deliver oxygen...could not deliver medicine from mohalla clinics. Doorstep ration delivery is also a jumla. The Delhi Government is under the control of the ration mafia. Arvind Kejriwal ji should answer why 'One Nation, One Ration Card' was not implemented in Delhi? What is the problem?"

"Why has authentication of PoS machines has not started in Delhi's ration shops from April 2018 till now? Arvind Kejriwal ji does not worry about the SC/ST category. He does not even worry about the migrant laborers and the poor," alleged Prasad.

The union minister said the Government of India provides wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg across the country. Rice costs Rs 37 per kg and wheat costs Rs 27 per kg. The Government of India gives food grains to the states for distribution through ration shops by giving subsidies. The central government spends about Rs 2 lakh crore annually on this.

"Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, like last year, this time also free ration is being given to the poor till November. 'One Nation, One Ration Card' is a very important scheme started by the Government of India. the scheme is running in 34 states and union territories of the country. So far 28 crore portable transactions have been done on it," he informed.