Selja targets govt over mustard oil price

Chandigarh, February 17

Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja has said the BJP-JJP government neither kept the supply of mustard oil continuous for the poor due to increase in price nor it compensates them by depositing money in their accounts.

In a press statement, Selja said that there was a provision to provide two litres of mustard oil every month to the families of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) at the rate of Rs 20 per litre per family in the state.

The number of AAY (pink card) ration cards in the state is 2.48 lakh and BPL (yellow card) is 8.92 lakh. They are given mustard oil at subsidised rates. In such a situation, the number of poor beneficiaries getting mustard oil through the ration depot of the Food and Supplies Department is around 11.4 lakh.

She said in April last year, when the prices of the mustard oil started increasing, the state government stopped the supply to the poor at the ration depots.

When the matter regarding oil came to light, it was announced that these families will be given Rs 250 per month in lieu of oil, which will be deposited in their bank account. But for three months, these families did not get any help from the government.