Punjab govt raises income eligibility for its 'atta'-'dal' scheme

Chandigarh, Mar 19 (UNI) In an important decision, the Punjab Government today decided to raise the income eligibility limit for recipients of the subsidised supply of 'atta' (wheat flour) and 'daal' (pulses) from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per annum per family.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of Deputy Commissioners from all districts here. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the meeting.

The SAD-BJP government after assuming charge this month had declared that it would give 'atta' and 'daal' at Rs four per kg and Rs 20 per kg respectively to the poorer sections of society.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to conduct a fresh survey to ascertain the eligible BPL families including the Scheduled Castes and Backward Class families to be covered under this scheme. The aim of the survey is to enlarge the base area of beneficiaries, he added while pointing out that the constricting stipulations of Below Poverty Line (BPL) of the Union Government had been waived.

He asked the Deputy Commissioners to get this fool proof survey conducted under their direct supervision to assess the eligible beneficiaries as per the guidelines to be issued by the state government shortly. He directed them to complete the entire survey by May 15.

The two nodal departments of Rural Development and Panchayats and Local Government would be entrusted with the task of compilation of data relating to survey in the rural and urban areas within the prescribed parameters.

Mr Badal also asked the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon to direct his department Secretary to depute a special team of officers to study the pattern of the public distribution system (PDS) in the states of Tamil Naidu and Andhra Pradesh and submit a report within ten days.

The Chief Minister emphasised the underlying objective of 'atta' and 'daal' scheme was to cater to the basic food necessity of the poor of the poorest and this survey should be aimed at to include all the deserved beneficiaries.

UNI