This story is from September 16, 2021

West Bengal: Duare Ration pilot rolls as HC junks plea against plan

Calcutta High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by public distribution system (PDS) dealers challenging the state government’s ‘Duare Ration’ programme. This paved the way for the pilot run of the scheme, targeting 15% beneficiaries in every district. In Kolkata, 120 dealers took part in the programme and delivered ration on the doorstep.
West Bengal: Duare Ration pilot rolls as HC junks plea against plan
The Duare Ration scheme targets 15% beneficiaries in every district. (Above) Bolpur was part of the pilot run on Wednesday
KOLKATA: Calcutta High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by public distribution system (PDS) dealers challenging the state government’s ‘Duare Ration’ programme. This paved the way for the pilot run of the scheme, targeting 15% beneficiaries in every district. In Kolkata, 120 dealers took part in the programme and delivered ration on the doorstep.
Ration dealers argued in court that the state programme was in conflict with rules that say consumers would collect items from designated PDS shops.
Justice Amrita Sinha, however, observed: “The rules of procedure are the handmaid of justice. The substantive right of the consumers to ration articles is supreme.”
In her 20-page order, Justice Sinha dealt at length with the changing times and the changing needs of consumers. “The concept of consumers visiting shops for purchase of goods is taking a back seat. Right now it is just the other way round... The concept of a static shop is slowly fading away in favour of the mobile shop. It is just an extension of the static shop, which functions from the address mentioned,” the judge observed.
The court also took note of the state government’s initiative to facilitate doorstep delivery. “The scheme has taken care of fair price shop owners. The government allotted additional commission to compensate for the cost of delivering articles to the doorstep. The government has also decided to provide a subsidy for purchase of delivery vans,” the order stated.
Quoting from a Supreme Court judgment, Justice Sinha added: “It is neither within the domain of courts nor within the scope of judicial review to embark upon an enquiry on whether a public policy is wise or a better public policy can be evolved. In a democracy, it is the prerogative of the elected government to follow its own policy.”
Among 900 PDS shops in Kolkata, 120 delivered ration on the doorstep in Salt Lake, Amherst Street, Manicktala, Ultadanga, Kalighat, Tollygunge and Behala on Wednesday. Of 20,286 dealers in the state, 3,011 took part in the pilot run. Dealers usually get a commission of Rs 75 per quintal of ration. The same has been raised to Rs 150 per quintal for doorstep delivery, a food and civil supplies department official said.

Duare Ration also reached underprivileged pockets such as Amlasole in Jhargram, where minister of state (food and civil supplies) Jyotsna Mandi herself was present along with district food controller Mithun Das. In Jhargram, 54 dealers took part in the programme.
The scheme is expected to benefit all categories of ration card holders. Bengal has four categories — Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Priority Household (PHH), Rajya Khadya Suraksha Yojana-I (RKSY-I) and RKSY-II (formerly above poverty line category). Initially, it was decided that only AAY and PHH card holders would be Duare Ration beneficiaries. The food and supplies department had earlier instructed dealers to divide beneficiaries under their jurisdiction into 16 clusters and fix a day every week for delivery of foodgrains.
(With inputs from Sujoy Khanra in Midnapore)
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