Punjab launches Meri Rasoi Scheme, to distribute free ration kits to 40 lakh families starting April

PTC News Desk: As Punjab gears up for assembly polls, state government has announced 'Meri Rasoi Scheme' under which nearly 40 lakh families who are blue card holders, will get ration kits. 

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the scheme after a meeting of the Punjab Council of Ministers in Chandigarh on Monday.

The scheme, ‘Meri Rasoi’, will ensure that all blue card holders receive a monthly ration kit comprising 2 kg of pulses, 2 kg of sugar, 1 kg of iodised salt, 200 grams of turmeric and 1 litre of mustard oil, in addition to the free wheat they already get. Announcing the initiative, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the beneficiary families would receive the ration kit for three months starting April.

The state government has reportedly earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for the scheme. The kits will be prepared by Punjab State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (MARKFED), while the Food and Supplies Department will handle their distribution.

Mann remarked that it was ironic that Punjab feeds millions across the country, yet many families within the state manage only one meal a day. He noted that children in Punjab suffer from undernutrition and iron deficiency, as their diets often lack sufficient protein. “As a welfare government, it is our duty to ensure that every citizen gets wholesome meals,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that regular quality control checks would be conducted to ensure that beneficiaries receive good-quality ration.

He also announced that the Budget session of the Punjab Assembly would be held from March 6 to 16, with the Budget to be presented on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

Mann further stated that the state government would fully cooperate with the Election Commission of India for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, but would oppose any move to delete voters from the rolls.