SAD-BJP's atta-dal scheme a cruel joke on poor: Punjab Cong
Wednesday, 10/07/2013
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/news/sad-bjps-atta-dal-scheme-a-cruel-joke-on-poor-punjab-cong/82467
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress MLAs today joined issue with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and flayed him for comparing Atta-Dal Scheme (ADS) of SAD-BJP government with the Food Security Act brought by UPA government at center and said that ADS was a cruel joke with the poor people living below poverty line.
In a statement issued here party MLAs Amarinder Singh Warring, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Jagmohan Singh Kang, Karan Kaur Brar, Ajitinder Singh Mofar and Brahm Mohindra said that Atta-Dal scheme was a political ploy of ruling alliance to lure votes from among the BPL families and it failed to live its utility. They said that SAD-BJP government had not covered all the poor families under this scheme and discriminated with beneficiaries on political considerations. They said that Food security Act would ensure coverage of 67 percent population of poor people. They however questioned the ability of SAD-BJP regime in implementing Food Security Act in its true spirit given the past track record in implementing centre sponsored schemes like Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan and National Rural Health Mission.
The Congress MLAs said that SAD-BJP government had promised to give 35 kg Atta and 4 Kg Dal to the BPL families but it supplied only 25 kg wheat that too after diverting stocks meant for Center government’s Above Poverty Line (APL) scheme. They said that Comptroller and Auditor General of India in its report for the year 2012-13 stated, "In violation of the (Centre's) instructions, Director, Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Punjab (DFSC) intimated to district controllers/ Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (PUNSUP) to divert the wheat allocated by the Government of India for the Above Poverty Line families to ADS,"
The report further observed that the Punjab government did not seek the approval of the Centre before diverting wheat meant for APL to ADS.
The Congress MLAs said that SAD-BJP government had earned a reputation of pilfering and misusing the central funds. They reiterated the Congress demand to set up all party committees at block level to monitor the implementation of Food Security Act. They also demanded to conduct fresh survey if BPL families. They asked the SAD-BJP government not to take credit for the center sponsored schemes rather focus on effective implementation of various programmes. They asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to set his house in order so that benefits of Food Security reach the genuine persons.
