Atta-dal beneficiaries await pulses since August last year

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 1

Atta-dal scheme beneficiaries are irate over the delay in the disbursement of subsidised pulses. The situation is almost similar everywhere else in the state.

The subsidised pulses were last supplied in Muktsar district in August 2014. It means nearly 15 months have passed, but the fresh stock of pulses is yet to arrive. In such a situation, the depot holders, who are facing a number of queries, too are feeling harassed. Besides, even wheat is being supplied to beneficiaries for the period of December 2014 to September 2015 and not for the remaining months of the year.

An old woman said, “We are a family of four persons with negligible income. For us, getting two square meals a day is the biggest task. Earlier, the government was providing subsidised wheat and pulses, but the supply of pulses too has been suspended since long. Whenever we ask the depot holder, he gives the same reply that the stock is yet to come.”

Similarly, Suresh Kumar, a depot holder in Muktsar, said, “I am totally fed up with the queries regarding availability of pulses. The department has not provided us pulses since long, but the beneficiaries think we are selling it in the open market.”

When contacted, Geeta Bishambu, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC), Muktsar, said, “Pulses have not come since August last year. As soon as we get the stock, it will be distributed among the beneficiaries.”

Muktsar district has over 5 lakh Atta-dal scheme beneficiaries. As per the scheme, wheat has to be given at Re 1 per kg.

There is no upper cap and every member gets 5 kg wheat per month.