Fact Check: WhatsApp message on Kejriwal introducing single scheme three times is FALSE

Hyderabad: On July 21, the Delhi government has cleared a proposal to allow doorstep delivery of ration under a scheme called "Mukhya Mantri Ghar-Ghar Ration Yojana". Following the announcement of the scheme, a mocking message started circulating on WhatsApp with a translated text, "Contact Kejriwal to learn how to introduce a single scheme three times." The message includes a collage of snapshots of three news articles, about the same scheme, appeared at different times.

The first article was published by Hindustan Times on July 6, 2018. The second article was published by Business standard on January 8, 2020. Third and the recent article was published by The Indian Express on July 21, 2020. These three articles talk about approving the same scheme.

Archived version of the claim can be found here.

Fact check:

The claim that the Delhi government introduced the same scheme 3 times is FALSE.

NewsMeter went through each article to understand the context, after which we understood that three different articles are reports from various timelines of the same scheme introduced by the Delhi Government.

The article used in the viral message, titled "Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal overrules 'all objections', approves doorstep delivery of rations", was published by Times of India on July 6, 2018. This report was filed in the backdrop of Arvind Kejriwal's executive order to implement the 'Doorstep Ration Delivery' scheme despite the Lieutenant Governor's rejection of the bill. "all objections" in the article implies the LG's disapproval of the bill.

The news report also included Kejriwal's tweet, which stated, "Approved Doorstep Delivery of Rations. Overruled all objections to the proposal. Directed Food Dept to start its implementation immediately."

You can find the archive of this tweet here.

But, the executive order given by Arvind Kejriwal to start the scheme was not implemented in 2018 because the food department of Delhi refused to implement the scheme and informed the Delhi government that the scheme cannot be implemented unless the government gets the Centre's approval.

The article from Business Standard, dated January 8, 2020, is just an updated article. There was no announcement about the scheme on that particular date.

After reading the contents of the article, NewsMeter came to know that this article was about July 6, 2018's executive order given by Arvind Kejriwal. It is just an updated article and not published on the highlighted date. Upon keyword search, NewsMeter couldn't find any article about the scheme published on January 8, 2020. So Kejriwal's government did not make any announcements about the scheme on January 8, 2010.

Finally, the article published in Indian Express, on July 21, 2020, in The Indian Express is about the Cabinet approval to implement the 'Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme'.

"The scheme has been accorded approval by the Cabinet this morning. Implementing it will take 6-7 months as it involves tendering, appointing consultants, etc. This is a revolutionary step," Kejriwal said.

'Doorstep Ration Delivery' scheme is an ambitious project of Kejriwal's government and it is facing setbacks in its approval since 2018. So these articles were just reports on announcements made by Arvind Kejriwal about the scheme at different times. Without knowing the context of these articles, they are shared together to make a false claim.

Hence, the message circulating on WhatsApp about introducing the 'Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme' three times by Arvind Kejriwal's government is FALSE.