The Punjab government is facing widespread criticism for adopting the Centre’s criteria to exclude individual members of families as beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act scheme even after announcing that it would not delete any names.
As per the new criteria, as many as 11 lakh beneficiaries will be deprived of free wheat under the Act with the state government issuing a notification, listing the criteria for the inclusion and exclusion of beneficiaries. According to the notification, all income taxpayers, those who pay GST, service tax and professional tax or own a motorised four-wheeler or air conditioners will be excluded from the list of people receiving free foodgrains. The notification, which is an amendment to the Punjab Food Security Rules, 2016, also states that the decision has been taken after the Chief Minister’s approval.
Also read: Won’t let Centre delete any ration card: Mann
At present, Punjab has 1.52 crore beneficiaries who get free wheat under the Act. While marginal farmers have been spared, small farmers having between 2.5 and 5 acres of land will also be excluded from getting free foodgrains.
As many as 8.16 lakh farmers were registered in Punjab during the last paddy season, of whom 2.93 lakh were marginal farmers. The remaining 5.23 lakh beneficiaries, including small farmers, will no longer be eligible for free foodgrains under the new formula.
State government officials, however, said the notification has been issued only to collate the existing inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, senior BJP leader and former IAS officer SR Ladhar said the exclusion reflects the ruling AAP’s misuse of welfare schemes for political gains rather than public service. He cited a similar instance in 2022 when the Punjab government had removed 1.073 million beneficiaries only to reinstate them ahead of the 2024 general elections.
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