Plea by ration dealers for margin money due to them from April: HC seeks AAP govt

Delhi government additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal conceded in the court that payments have not been made yet due to financial crunch, but said that some portion of the dues are expected to be cleared by mid-January 2021.To this the court asked how the petitioners would sustain themselves till then. It directed the Delhi government to file its response and listed the matter for hearing on February 16.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the AAP government on a plea by fair price shop owners alleging they have not been paid the margin money for ration supplied to beneficiaries under the various schemes like the Mukhya Mantri Corona Sahayta Yojna and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna. Justice Navin Chawla issued notice to the Delhi government and sought its stand on the issues raised in the petition by the Delhi Ration Dealers Union and some fair price shop (FPS) owners who have claimed that they have not been paid the margin money from April onwards.

The petitioners have claimed that due to the non-payment of dues, they are finding it difficult to function as many of them have not been able to even pay the rent of their shops. Delhi government additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal conceded in the court that payments have not been made yet due to financial crunch, but said that some portion of the dues are expected to be cleared by mid-January 2021.

To this the court asked how the petitioners would sustain themselves till then. It directed the Delhi government to file its response and listed the matter for hearing on February 16.