Joint branding of Central ration to reflect AAP’s doorstep delivery in Punjab

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, February 4

The doorstep delivery of ration to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will be started in specially designed bags of Markfed. These bags will have a joint branding of both Central Government and state’s Aam Aadmi Party government.

Colour of bags changed

• Till the last delivery of wheat was done in November, wheat was being distributed in white bags
• The colour of the bags has been changed as the state government is all set to launch its free doorstep delivery of wheat

Flex boards with Mann’s photo

Flex boards have been put up at many of these ration depots, with their new name and pictures of Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar at the top, and a picture of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the bottom

Information available with The Tribune shows that these bags, designed in the yellow colour (which is the colour of turbans of AAP leaders), will have the National Food Security Act written on the top, while it will carry the mention of the Punjab Government for delivering the free ration on the doorsteps of the beneficiaries. “Punjab Sarkar ne NFSA adheen prapat ration ghar ghar pahunchaya,” reads the bottom of the packaging.

Till the last delivery of wheat was done in November, wheat was being distributed in white bags. The colour of the bags has been changed as the state government is all set to launch its free doorstep delivery of wheat or atta, after getting the wheat allocated by the Government of India under the NFSA, at the state’s cost.

The scheme is set to be launched this month and trial run was done on Saturday and today. The state government estimates that 60 per cent of the beneficiaries (a total of 1.54 crore) will opt for taking atta and 40 per cent will continue to take wheat.

Even the ration shops, which will first start the doorstep delivery, are being branded as Aam Aadmi Ration Depots. Flex boards have been put up at many of these ration depots, with their new name and pictures of Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar at the top, and a picture of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the bottom.

The Government of India has withheld the funds for the National Health Mission since October 2022, accusing the government of not complying with the directions of the Department of Expenditure regarding branding of health and wellness centres. Though the state government claims that funds of over Rs 600 crore have been held back, the Centre claims that these are Rs 395.61 crore.

A senior officer in the government said they were following all branding norms of the Centre by specifying that 92 per cent of the contribution in giving free ration is by the Government of India. The packaging also has logos of the Swachh Bharat Mission and the NFSA. “We are only claiming credit for delivering ration on the doorstep, which should not be a problem,” he said.