Delhi L-G slams AAP for delay in framing rules for fair price shops' audit

Delhi LG VK Saxena has raised concerns about the delay by the AAP government in formulating rules for conducting a "social audit" into the functioning of Public Distribution System or Fair Price Shops.

The official press release from the LG's office highlighted that even after 10 years of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, these Rules under sub-section 2 of Section 40 of the NFSA, provide for mandatory social audit so as to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution of ration obtained under the Act and PDS." It said that under threat from the Government of India, as per the directions of the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation (CoSL), to withhold the central assistance for expenditure incurred on intra-state transportation and FPS dealers margin, if the said Rules are not framed by June 30, 2023, the Kejriwal Government has finally wokenup and sent the file to this effect on June 6, 2023, to the LG seeking approval for notifying the Rules.

"It may be noted that these Rules provide for weeding out of false beneficiaries, providing good quality ration to beneficiaries in a timely manner, strengthening the mandate of and giving a role to vigilance committees in the social audit process, carrying out verification drive, provisions of CCTV cameras, SMS based monitoring, mandatory electronic weighing, stocks of ration at FPS' and information to citizens regarding the same have been kept pending by the AAP Government for 9 years now," it read. While approving the file, the LG lamented the "sheer inaction" on the part of the government and its failure to ensure something as basic and critical as framing Rules for a "corruption-free and fair distribution of ration to the poorest of the poor".

The LG, in his note to the CM, has also pointed out the unexplained delay in framing the Rules.

"It is noted that on one occasion, the file was returned by the Minister after the passage of one year without any explanation for the delay whatsoever. During the past 05 years itself, beginning June 2019, the Minister has returned the proposal of the Department at least on 9 occasions for one reason or the other," he pointed out. According to the release, the Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, GoI sent a document dated June 1, 2023, to Chief Secretary, Delhi mentioning that the GNCTD is yet to notify Rules under sub-section 2 of Section 40 of the NFSA and it had been decided by the Ministry to withhold the central assistance if the Rules are not framed and notified by the GNCTD by June 30, 2023.

"In addition to this, the Parliamentary CoSL, which has members of political parties including the opposition, in its periodical review, took a serious view on the delay in notification of Rules and has given an extension of time till June 30," it read. The LG has taken exception to "the extreme laxity and delay" in framing the Rules for Delhi that essentially led to a situation where the Central Government and Parliamentary Standing Committee were forced to set a final timeline i.e. June 30, 2023, for notifying the Rules, failing which the central assistance would be withheld. "The Hon'ble Chief Minister is requested to personally ensure quick completion of the process of notification of the Rules relating to safeguarding of public interest as mandated under the NFSA, 2013 and also to advice the Hon'ble Minister to be careful in future and ensure expeditious disposal of such sensitive matters, which affect the general public", Saxena has noted.