Names of all Delhi ration card holders struck off between March and October to be restored

Delhi food and supply minister Imran Hussain has issued directions to his department to restore all ration cards that had been cancelled since March, when the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed.

In his letter to the department, which HT has seen, Hussain said, “It has been brought to my knowledge that some of the beneficiaries had gone to their home states during the period between March 2020 to October 2020 when the lockdown/ extended lockdown was imposed because of Covid-19. On their return to Delhi, they are unable to get their due ration as their names have been struck off the list.”

“It is hereby directed that names of all such beneficiaries which were struck off… during lockdown from March 2020 to October 2020 be restored with immediate effect herewith,” he said in the order issued on Wednesday.

The department is expected to file an action taken report by Monday.

Delhi has more 1.7 million ration card holders which covers around 7.2 million beneficiaries. Names of beneficiaries are usually struck off if they do not avail ration for three consecutive months.

The department, however, could not provide data on how many names had been struck off of since March 25, after the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed to arrest the spread of the virus.

The next few months witnessed large scale loss of livelihood and movement of people from Delhi to their hometowns and villages, even though the Delhi government made arrangement for temporary shelters and two meals a day. As the economy opened up, many of them have started returning to the Capital.