Free ration scheme ‘illegal’, says Ration depot holders in Punjab

Terming the “Ghar Ghar Muft Ration” scheme launched by the Punjab government recently as “illegal”, the depot holders met Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, expressing discontent over the scheme’s negative impact on their livelihoods. The depot holders of Punjab stated that the state government cannot convert National Food Security Act wheat into flour and distribute it as the scheme of the Centre, which has 1.41 crore beneficiaries in Punjab. Punjab Raj Depot Holders unions said that around one year ago, when Punjab government had announced “atta scheme” to the beneficiaries from ration depot shops, they had challenged this and filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High court on September 28, 2022. Gurjinder Singh Sidhu, president of the union, stated that the bags in which the flour is distributed “bears the name of Aam Aadmi Party and photo of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, which directly reflects that they want to drive political mileage out of the scheme and are depriving the depot holders of their income.” According to depot holders, the government’s scheme, aimed at facilitating ration distribution to 25 lakh people, has put 1.15 crore individuals, who relied on ration Depots, at stake.