Coronavirus lockdown: Over 3 lakh smart card beneficiaries provided free ration in Ludhiana, say officials

Under ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana’, smart card beneficiaries have been provided 15kg wheat per person and 3kg pulses per family for a period of three months free of cost

District food and civil supplies controller (DFSC) Sukhwinder Singh Gill on Sunday said that during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department under the leadership of cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has played an important role by staying at the forefront along with other departments.

In Ludhiana district, out of a total of 3.8 lakh smart card beneficiaries, 3.09 have already been provided the ration free of cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, food and civil supplies controller Sukhwinder Singh Gill said on Sunday. (HT File Photo)

“Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, smart card beneficiaries have been provided 15kg wheat per person and 3kg pulses per family for a period of three months free of cost. Out of a total of 3.8 lakh smart card beneficiaries, 3.09 have already been provided the ration free of cost, while the remaining 72,402 beneficiaries will be provided the items within next 3-4 days,” he said.

‘REACHING OUT TO EVERY NEEDY PERSON’

The DFSC also said that they are strictly enforcing social distancing while distributing the ration among the needy and special teams have been formed for carrying out regular checking. “After some depots were caught not distributing the ration as per the government orders, supply of 18 such depots have been suspended,” the food and civil supplies official said, adding that the department officials are working hard to ensure that the ration reaches every needy person on time.

Asserting that the department officials are working almost round the clock, Gill said, “Till date, more than 4.25 lakh ration kits have been prepared and distributed among the migrants and the needy during the lockdown and the work to prepare more such kits is going on smoothly.”

Amid the wheat procurement season this year, around 8.85 lakh metric tonne wheat has been procured from the mandis of Ludhiana district, the official said, adding that last year, around 8.51 lakh metric tonne of wheat was procured. “Out of the total wheat procured from mandis of the district, 8.55 lakh metric tonne has been lifted and 97% of the payments have been made. The remaining payments will also be made shortly,” he said.