Won't let Centre remove even single ration beneficiary: CM

Taking the Centre head on and setting the stage for a pitched battle with the BJP, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday declared that "till the time he is CM of the state, he will not allow the BJP-ruled Centre to remove even a single beneficiary under the National Food Security Act".

By taking a firm stand and speaking for the vulnerable sections that get subsidised ration, the CM has taken a lead in AAP's latest battle with the BJP ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with the latter trying to gain foothold as the major challenger to the state ruling party.

The Centre’s bid to clean up the list of beneficiaries has given AAP a major plank against the BJP, which has been crying hoarse over non-implementation of central schemes, such as PM Kisan, Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojanas, in the state. The BJP has started a public outreach programme to make people aware of what the party is doing for the needy section.

From 'vote chori' to 'ration chori'

They (BJP) have been using such outreach programmes to collect personal data, assess political preferences, and then delete those against them from the voter list...after 'vote chori' they want to go in for 'ration chori'.

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Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM

The BJP rank and file, led by its president Sunil Jakhar and and working president Ashwani Sharma, managed to swing some public sympathy in their favour after the Punjab Police stopped their workers from holding camps and collecting personal data.

Against this, the issue of lakhs of “suspicious beneficiaries” flagged by the BJP-ruled Centre, asking not just Punjab, but all other states to verify the antecedents of these beneficiaries, has given AAP an opportunity to negate whatever political influence that the BJP gained amongst the poor sections by claiming that the AAP government was not letting the public benefit from central schemes.

Top functionaries in AAP have told The Tribune that beginning Sunday, they will be holding meetings of their cadres to reach out to public to make them aware that the Centre was not just trying to steal their personal data, but also attempting to stop subsidised ration. Public meetings are being planned in urban and rural areas throughout the coming week.

It was reported in these columns on Thursday about the Centre asking the state government to remove by September 30 the suspicious beneficiaries, who are either income tax payees, directors in companies, own more than five acres or a four wheeler. The Centre has pointed out that by these standards, lakhs of beneficiaries in Punjab cannot be considered in the “poor category” and questioned their eligibility.

CM Mann today said till the time he was CM of Punjab, no beneficiary would be deleted. “We received a report from the Centre that 8,02,493 ration cards are being removed. This means that 32 lakh beneficiaries of Punjab will be deprived of subsidised wheat. Of the 1.53 crore beneficiaries, the state government has verified 1.29 crore, according to the original check list for eligible beneficiaries. When they (BJP-led Centre) make new checklists, Punjabis, who have contributed to make the country food secure, will become the losers. How can those who grow the grains for the country be denied of these subsidised grains themselves?” he questioned.

Get facts right, Pralhad joshi hits back

Reacting to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s remarks, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi asked him to “get his facts right”. “The mandatory eKYC of beneficiaries was directed by the Supreme Court. The Centre is merely asking the states to implement the same. Multiple extensions (three extensions) have been given to the Punjab Government to do the same,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The minister said Punjab had 1.41 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.“As per the NFSA, it is the responsibility of the state government to identify beneficiaries based on their own exclusion and inclusion criteria. The central government has no role in this,” he added.

Joshi said the Centre had not reduced even a single beneficiary. “The central Government has merely asked to do a re-check on the beneficiaries based on the inclusion criteria set by the Punjab Government. This way, deserving beneficiaries who were not part of this scheme (if any) may be added,” he said adding that 1.41 crore beneficiaries from Punjab would get free foodgrains.