Punjab Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has written to the Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to press for comprehensive policy for proper distribution of foodgrains in the starvation prone States of the country.
Ashu, in his letter to the Union Minister, highlighted the recent starvation related death in Jharkhand, and expressed concern over the paradoxical situation of overflowing food stocks in Punjab awaiting release on one hand and people dying of hunger in other states.
“This news is an eye-opener for us for bringing a suitable policy to ensure proper distribution of food grains in starvation prone states,” Ashu said in his letter.
Seeking the Union Minister’s personal intervention, Ashu highlighted the issue of immediate liquidation of Punjab's food stocks.
Our godowns are full with foodgrains, said Ashu adding stocks of food grains being prone to rotting and damage due to vagaries of nature warrant immediate policy intervention to ensure availability of food grains for the poor people in such deficit States.