Chandigarh, March 28 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced a scheme to deliver ration at the doorsteps of the people across the state.
Making an announcement in a video message, he said the Aam Aadmi Party government's scheme is aimed at providing good quality ration 'atta' (wheat flour) and 'daal' (pulses) to the people packed in clean gunny bags.
"You need not to stand in long queues or miss your daily-wage anymore for getting ration and now our officials would check your availability before delivering the ration at your doorsteps," he said.
Mann said under this scheme, an option would also be given to those beneficiaries who want to get ration supply from the nearby depots as per their convenience.
He said the people have to still stand in long queues for fetching ration even after 75 years of Independence, whereas now in a digital era, people can get anything delivered online within no time at their place.
This people-friendly initiative would ensure the best quality ration at their doorsteps as "earlier our mothers had to go even two km for getting ration that too of substandard quality not fit for human consumption".
"Our government has made an endeavour to provide healthy and hygienic ration at your doorsteps."
Mann said this scheme was earlier introduced in Delhi by the Arvind Kejriwal government but somehow was stalled by the Centre as it intended to make people stand in long queues for ration.
On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws after scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pitched their tents on various Delhi borders in protest against the three laws.
A nine-member committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the consortium of protesting farmers' bodies, will be meeting on Saturday, and it is likely to put forth four main demands. The meeting will also decide whether the SKM will go ahead with the originally announced 'March Towards Delhi' programme on November 26.
Congress legislator and Punjab unit party president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said the minimum support price (MSP) is the bigger issue than farm laws as it is the lifeline of farmers.
Extending his greetings to the people on Prakash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev, the Chief Minister said it was really a matter of great honour to inaugurate this prestigious project which happens to coincide with Gurpurab.
Three employees of Air India, accused of having a role in the smuggling of gold, have been arrested, officials said on Friday. They have been accused of having a hand in a recent incident wherein 1.5 kg gold -- stored beneath an aircraft's seat -- was seized.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Friday to repeal the three farm laws has brought cheers to the agitating farmers' organisations.However, Anil Ghanwat, a farm leader from Maharashtra who was one of the three members of the Supreme Court appointed committee on farm laws earlier this year, has termed the decision as "unfortunate".
