More hostels for working women

NEW DELHI, June 12: Delhi ration card-holders would get two more litres of kerosene oil from June 16 on the blue card'. This announcement w...

NEW DELHI, June 12: Delhi ration card-holders would get two more litres of kerosene oil from June 16 on the blue card8217;. This announcement was made today by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Purnima Sethi at a press conference.

She also said that the Delhi Government would set up nine short stay homes and nine working women hostels in each district of the Capital. 8220;These homes will provide free lodging and boarding to the destitute women. There is a massive need for working women hostels as an increasing number of women are coming to the Capital searching for jobs. These hostels can give dignified and proper shelter to them.8221;

She also informed that the pension-at-doorstep scheme will begin from end of June. 8220;We have to issue thousands of cheques to be delivered to the pensioners at their residence. To this end, we have held talks with the Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha who has promised to look into the matter,8221; she said.

Under the scheme for providing ration cards in 48 hours, in the first fifteen days of May, 12,315 people had applied for cards of which only 2,604 were given. In the later half of May, 10,551 people had applied and only 2,708 were given the cards. 8220;The others were refused cards as they did not have the verification by their local MLA,8221; Sethi said.

8220;We have announced that people with bogus ration cards should declare them before June 30. After that, criminal action can be taken against those in possession of such cards,8221; she said.

The department of Food and Civil Supplies is setting up five-member committees in all circle offices of the public distribution system to 8220;safeguard the interest of the consumers8221;. The committees will have two women, two retired officers and the food and supply officer of the area.

She also said that recaliberation of auto and taxi metres would begin from July 1 on the model of the metering technique followed in Mumbai.

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All the weights in the city will be checked and stamped by the Weights and Measures Department to make sure they are correct, according to Sethi.