Bajwa warns against discontinuation of ration depots

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday cautioned the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government against dismantling the “old and smoothly functioning” ration depot system in the state.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday cautioned the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government against dismantling the “old and smoothly functioning” ration depot system in the state.

“The AAP government is planning to close ration depots and establish Markfed Smart Shops in the state. They have earmarked a ₹670 crore budget with the sole purpose of giving undue advantage to private players,” Bajwa said. (Representational Image/ HT File)

“The AAP government is planning to close ration depots and establish Markfed Smart Shops in the state. They have earmarked a ₹670 crore budget with the sole purpose of giving undue advantage to private players,” Bajwa said.

“This scheme of the AAP government would not only prove costly for the common people, but thousands of ration depot holders would gradually lose their source of income. Ever since the AAP got of power in the state, it has been scheming to discontinue ration depots, which is highly unfortunate,” he said.

“The anti-people stance of the AAP government can be gauged from the fact that it has already deleted 10.7 lakh blue cards of beneficiaries under the ‘Aata Dal Scheme’. With this, the AAP government has denied foodgrains to around 40 lakh Punjabis belonging to the weaker sections of the society,” Bajwa added.