Ration breakdown : Punjab’s poorest pay for anganwadi chaos
The Tribune Editorial: Markfed's withdrawal was not an overnight development.
Updated At : 07:15 AM Aug 27, 2026 IST
PUNJAB’s anganwadi system is facing a disturbing breakdown. The state’s 26,000-odd centres have reportedly been short of supplies needed for cooked meals and take-home rations since mid-July. The beneficiaries — young children, pregnant women and lactating mothers — are among those least equipped to absorb such a disruption. The immediate crisis follows Markfed’s withdrawal from supplying ready-to-cook supplementary nutrition after complaints were raised about food quality. The government subsequently moved towards freshly cooked meals and began putting alternative arrangements in place for take-home rations. But the transition appears to have created a supply vacuum.
