Wheat/flour at doorsteps: Punjab government plans rollout on R-Day, phase 1 to cover up to 6L beneficiaries

The flagship populist scheme of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for the distribution of packaged wheat flour or grain at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries is likely to start on January 26.

Sources in Markfed – Punjab state cooperative supply and marketing federation— that has been named nodal agency for the state’s programme, revealed that all preparations have been made and in the first phase, 3 to 6 lakh beneficiaries will be covered.

“There are some 3,000 clusters in the state, which are not being covered by any fair price shop so the plan is to cover the beneficiaries living in these areas first,” said a senior official requesting anonymity. He adds that these clusters are spread across the state. As per the scheme, each beneficiary will get 5kg of wheat flour per month free of cost or the beneficiary can choose to accept wheat grain in the same quantity.

However, there is no clarity on the requirement of wheat flour as the government still doesn’t know how many beneficiaries have actually opted for it.

“There is no mechanism to find this out,” said a source in the state food and civil supplies department, adding that it will only be known once the distribution starts. “Also, we still don’t know how many beneficiaries will opt for the delivery of wheat flour at their doorsteps,” the official said.

The state food department services 1.47 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) known as Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), supplying 5kg of wheat per month, given every quarter at ₹2 per kg. From January this year, the Centre has decided to offer wheat free of cost. “That means wheat flour will also be without cost,” said a food department officer.

When the AAP government came to power in Punjab, chief minister Bhagwant Mann announced giving wheat flour instead of wheat to save beneficiaries’ time and harassment while queuing up at ration depots (fair price shops) and later at flour mills (chakkis). The state government has set aside ₹675 crore for grinding and distribution of wheat. The total monthly wheat requirement is 72,500 tonnes.

As against the need for 18,000 fair price shops to cover all the beneficiaries in the state, only 12,000 are functional. The transportation and other logistics are also in the process of being worked out, revealed the sources in Markfed, which will help fair price shops to reach the ‘left out’ beneficiaries.

In July 2023, the state cabinet approved a revised mechanism for the distribution of packaged wheat flour or wheat at the doorsteps of beneficiaries by roping in fair price shop owners. It was decided that the distribution of ‘atta’ (wheat flour) or wheat shall be allowed in loose quantities, weighed, across the counter in ration depots or in specially-sealed packets delivered at the doorstep of the beneficiary or the nearest motorable point, by the ration depot holders.

The scheme had hit the wall in 2022 when the fair price shop owners moved the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging the move by the state government to bypass them in the scheme. However, the state government, now have decided to involve these shops.

GFX

Scheme stats

Sources in Markfed said that all preparations have been made and in the first phase, 3 to 6 lakh beneficiaries will be covered.

1.47 crore

Beneficiaries under the NFSA

5kg

Wheat or flour distributed to each beneficiary per month

72,500 tonnes

Monthly requirement of wheat/wheat flour

₹675 crore

Set aside by Punjab govt for grinding and logistics

3,000

Clusters not covered by any fair price shops