Chandigarh, May 24:
The Punjab Government has started distribution of additional foodgrains under the Prime Minister’s Poor Welfare Food Scheme to the registered beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act 2013 in the state on May 16, 2021 after completion of wheat procurement season in the state. However, BJP leader Tarun Chugh has, forced by the habit of lying, misrepresented food distribution figures just for political gain. It was stated by Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Bharat Bhushan Ashu in a press statement released here today.
Mr. Ashu said that during the second wave of Corona, the Punjab Government led by Capt. Amarinder Singh had set up about 3500 procurement centers in the state to check the spread of the disease and all the employees and officials were able to procure the wheat in a smooth manner. The distribution of foodgrains to the beneficiaries was started on May 16, 2021 as soon as the procurement of wheat was completed on May 13, 2021.
He said that out of the total foodgrains allotted to the Punjab government in the last 8 days, 98224 metric tonnes of wheat has been collected from the warehouses of FCI which constitutes 69% of the total foodgrains.
Mr. Ashu informed that today on 24th May 2021 till 10:00 AM 15705 MT of wheat has been distributed to the beneficiaries.
He said that in order to check the spread of COVID-19 during the distribution of foodgrains, beneficiaries were being called in small groups to hand over the allotted foodgrains’ quota to them.
The Minister said that the Leader of the Opposition in his statement had mentioned 75 per cent distribution of foodgrains in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and he should have seen before saying that no crop was being procured in these states. While in the state of Punjab a record 132 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been procured during this period.
He said that apart from the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Aan Yojna, the Punjab Government was also distributing foodgrains to 8,78,184 registered beneficiaries under the state sponsored scheme.
Finally, Mr. Ashu said that the Punjab Government would complete the work of distribution of foodgrains before the date fixed by the Central Government i.e June 30, 2021.
