Punjabi Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday told about smart ration card program to provide subsidized food grains at 1.41 crore in the state.
The CM said the Center capped the maximum number of beneficiaries at 1.41 crore and, despite repeated requests, did not agree to provide subsidized rations to the deserving nine lakh not covered by the NFSA.His government has therefore decided to cover all of these excluded eligible people under a state-funded program He Launching the smart ration card system, the CM said the program would help reduce corruption and give recipients the freedom to buy from any depot.He also announced a separate state-funded program to provide subsidized rations to nine lakh beneficiaries not covered by the National Food Security Law (NFSA).With this, the total number of beneficiaries in the state will increase to 1.50 crore, the chief minister said during the deployment of the smart ration card system under which 37.5 lakh cards will be distributed to eligible beneficiaries .Describing this as a major step towards beneficiary empowerment, he said it would end exploitation of beneficiaries by unscrupulous ration deposit holders.The program allows the beneficiary to obtain their quota of food grains from any ration depot in the state of Punjab. The ordinances are the Agricultural Trade and Trade Promotion and Facilitation Ordinance 2020, the Farmers Agreement Empowerment and Protection on Agricultural Price Insurance and Services Ordinance 2020, and the essential products amendment, 2020, These orders are aimed at ending the MSP regime and will hit farmers hard,Referring to the issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Link channel, the CM said that this is another issue facing Punjab. In a symbolic gesture, the CM handed over the smart ration cards to four beneficiaries here, after which all ministers and deputies distributed cards in their respective districts and constituencies, according to a government statement.
