Chandigarh: Ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced the launch of the ‘Meri Rasoi Yojna’, under which 40 lakh families will receive free quarterly food kits starting April, in addition to wheat provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).Mann told mediapersons that beginning from April, these kits would be distributed free of cost every quarter to NFSA card holders in the state. Each kit will contain 2 kg of lentils, 2 kg of sugar, 1 kg of salt, 200 grams of turmeric powder and 1 litre of mustard oil for monthly consumption. These food kits will be provided to 40 lakh families in addition to the wheat already being distributed to eligible beneficiaries under the NFSA, said the CM.He said Markfed would serve as the nodal agency for the initiative. These kits will be supplied free of cost by the food and civil supplies department. “This initiative will ensure that every child in the state has access to nutritious food, thereby strengthening food and nutrition security across Punjab. Reports from schools have indicated that children from economically weak families don’t get proper nutrition,” the CM added.Mann also assured that quality would not be compromised under any circumstances. “The Punjab govt will ensure strict quality checks on all items supplied. Any complaint regarding poor quality or irregular supply will be dealt with strictly,” he said.The CM mentioned that the state govt already provided subsidised wheat to the beneficiaries registered under the NFSA.Mann said it was ironic that Punjab had been feeding millions of people in the country, but many families in the state get just one meal a day. He his govt knew how to generate resources for people’s welfare schemes, emphasising that ensuring nutritious food for every child is a moral responsibility, not merely a promise.The CM said the initiative reflected the Punjab govt’s commitment to strengthening food and nutrition security for every household in Punjab. Recalling the state’s contribution in making the country self-reliant in food production, he said: “This guarantee was not written and was not part of our party’s manifesto, but it is our moral responsibility towards the people of Punjab, and we are fulfilling it.”Probe on in Gurdaspur killings (Box)Replying to a question, the chief minister said investigations were underway into the killings of two police personnel at a border checkpoint in Gurdaspur on Sunday. Assistant sub-inspector Gurnam Singh and home guard Ashok Kumar were found dead near the Pakistan border.SIR in Punjab (Box)Asked about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list in Punjab, Mann said: “They may go ahead, we will cooperate with them. But we will not let them tamper with votes, make fake votes or delete genuine ones, as has been reported in states ruled by them.”Earlier, the CM urged the Election Commission of India to address concerns being raised about SIR.Ration scheme to cost Rs 950 cr (BOX)Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said a budget allocation of Rs 950 crore would be made for the ‘Meri Rasoi Yojna’, and the figure had been arrived at after assessing details of the 40 lakh beneficiaries and the market prices of the commodities.MSID:: 128712579 413 |
