The decision of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to overrule the Cabinet decision to provide rice instead of remitting money to beneficiaries’ account is an “infringement on the rights of a democratically elected government,” Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said here on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister said Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan had agreed to the Cabinet decision to distribute free rice to below poverty line cardholders.
“When I met him recently he found nothing wrong in government distributing rice instead of transferring money. Now, another Minister (Home Minister Amit Shah) in the same Cabinet overrules our decision,” he said.
The Chief Minister was responding to a communication from the Ministry advising the UT administration to “continue with DBT cash scheme in lieu of distribution of free rice under the Pondicherry free rice scheme.” Explaining in detail about how the free rice scheme became a dispute between his government and Lt Governor, Mr. Narayanasamy said in 2015 the then Chief Minister N. Rangasamy had opted for the DBT mode after the Centre gave the option to States/UTs of choosing the modality of implementing the free rice scheme.
After the Congress came to power in 2016, the Cabinet took a decision to distribute 20 kg of free rice to BPL cardholders as it was one of the election promises. However, the Lt. Governor objected to the move and insisted on continuing with DBT.
Permission sought
Mr. Narayanasamy said he wrote a letter to Mr. Paswan on February 16, 2018, asking him permission to distribute rice. In his reply on July 13, 2018, the Chief Minister said, Mr. Paswan concurred with his government’s view on the right to choose the modality. “He reiterated his stand when I met him in New Delhi recently,” the Chief Minister said.
Referred to MHA
However, Lt. Governor continued with her objection and referred the subject to MHA, he said.
“The Lt. Governor and Home Minister are conspiring against the government. We will deal with the issue administratively and legally,” he added.
