Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department on forefront along with other departments

Ludhiana: District Food & Civil Supplies Controllers (DFSCs) Mr Sukhwinder Singh Gill  and Miss Harveen Kaur informed that during the ongoing Novel Coronavirus pandemic, the Punjab Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department is playing an important role by staying at the forefront along with other departments.
They informed that under the Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana, the smart card beneficiaries have been provided 15 kilograms wheat per person and 3 kg pulses per family for a period of three months free of cost. They said that out of total 3,81,726 smart card beneficiaries, 2,47,778 beneficiaries have already been provided ration free of cost, while ration to remaining 1,33,948 beneficiaries would be provided within a week.
The DFSCs informed that they are strictly enforcing social distancing while distributing ration. To ensure that ration reaches the needy, special teams have been formed, who are carrying regular checking. After some depots were caught not distributing ration as per the government orders, supply of 16 such depots have been suspended. They said that all the department officials are working hard to ensure that ration reaches every needy person on time.
They said that to prepare the Punjab government ration kits being distributed to the needy and migrants, the department officials are working almost round the clock. Till date, more than 4 lakh ration kits have been prepared and distributed to the migrants and needy during lockdown and the work to prepare more such kits is going on smoothly.
Similarly, during the wheat procurement season 2020-21, around 8.70 lakh MT wheat has been procured from the mandis of district Ludhiana, whereas last year around 7.93 lakh MT of wheat was procured. They said that out of 8.70 lakh MT wheat procured from mandis of Ludhiana, 7.93 lakh MT has been lifted and 95% of the payments have been made, while remaining payments would also be made shortly.