Giving 'atta' instead of wheat to cost Punjab govt Rs 670 crore more

Chandigarh, May 2

The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has approved the scheme for home delivery of wheat flour to 1.54 crore beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will start getting the flour on their doorstep from October 1.

The decision to give flour instead of wheat to beneficiaries after grinding and packaging it, will put an additional burden of Rs 670 crore on the state exchequer.

The beneficiaries will now get 5 kg flour per month, instead of 15 kg every three months. The ‘atta’ will be delivered through the mobile fair price shops, which will be GPS-enabled and the distribution of ‘atta’ would be live-streamed.

The state has been divided into eight zones, and the rollout will commence in these zones in three phases, it has been decided.

As of now, wheat was given to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act scheme and state government’s own blue card scheme every three months, costing Rs 1,825 crore.

The state government had earlier invited tenders from flour mill owners across the state, asking them if they had the capacity to grind minimum of 100 MT grain. Official sources said in case a person did not want flour, but wheat, and if they wanted to collect it on their own from the point of sale, they could do so.

Earlier, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited CMD Baldev Singh Sran gave a presentation to the Cabinet regarding the power situation in the state.

A briefing on buying 10 per cent imported coal for blending purposes was also given to the ministers. He is learnt to have told the ministers that the PSPCL had supplied 32 per cent more power in comparison to the corresponding period last year. He said the problem of power scarcity last week was because of a technical snag in two power plants, which was immediately rectified.

Cabinet clears filling of vacancies, amnesty scheme

• A relief of Rs 5,400 per acre to farmers, assuming 50% loss to cotton crop in Muktsar district. Resultantly, Rs 38.08 crore and Rs 3.81 crore will be released to affected farmers and farm labourers, respectively
• Government has identified 26,454 posts lying vacant in various departments. The process to recruit youth will start soon. The departments include Home Affairs (10,475 posts), School Education (6,400) and Power (1,690 posts). Also, interviews will not be conducted for Group-C posts
• Amnesty scheme for private transporters announced a few days ago approved; 78,000 bus, auto and taxi operators to benefit
• Amendment to Act giving MLAs one pension (irrespective of number of terms served) at new rate of Rs 60,000/month plus DA cleared