Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for initiating the "largest ever" food security programme, saying its implementation will leave nobody hungry in the country.
"The Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson were behind the scheme. It would benefit all vulnerable sections and nobody would remain hungry in the country after its implementation," Dikshit said.
She was speaking after laying foundation stone of a Boys Senior Secondary School at Shastri Nagar in East Delhi. Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal and Delhi Education Minister Kiran Walia were also present on the occasion.
"The scheme would be providing double benefit. First it would eliminate hunger and second it would go a long way in overcoming poverty," Dikshit said exhorting people to avail benefit of the scheme.
The Chief Minister said Delhi Government was working hard to ensure effective implementation of the Food Security scheme which will be launched on August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
A total of 72 lakh people will be covered under the scheme in Delhi and in the first phase around 32 lakh people in 5.10 lakh families will be covered. The total population in Delhi has been estimated at 1.68 crore.
Considering the potential of the populist scheme in the assembly elections in the city slated for November, Dikshit last week had announced that Delhi will be the first state in the country to launch the scheme.
Under the scheme, three-fourth population of the country will have the right to get 5 kg of foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.
However, about 2.43 crore poorest of the poor families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme under PDS would continue to get 35 kg of grains per family per month but with legal entitlement.
Taking a pot shot at the BJP, Dikshit asked people not to be carried away by the "tall promises" made by a political party. "The people must test their promises by looking into their past performances," she said.
Addressing the gathering, Sibal said he was concerned about the "decaying" system of school education under municipal corporation.
"During my tenure as Union HRD Minister, I proposed to take over all MCD school in order to turn them into modern and purposeful primary schools with excellent infrastructure. I was surprised to take note of response from the ruling party in MCD as they never wanted to empower children coming from poor and vulnerable sections of the society," Sibal said.
Walia, in her address, said the city government has identified 100 plots for commissioning new schools as it is committed to provide meaningful education to each and every child as envisaged in the Right to Education Act.
