Union Government on Tuesday lauded Punjab State for becoming the first in the country that has implemented Food Security Act totally all over the State and according to its true spirit.“Punjab has understood the basic spirit of the Act and has a potential to become a torchbearer State to guide other States for effective and systematic implementation of the National Food Security Act besides ensuring doorstep delivery to the beneficiaries even in the remotest villages,” said Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan, while addressing the inaugural session of State Food Ministers’ meeting to review prices and availability of essential food items.
Paswan said online and systematic monitoring of Act, linking the beneficiaries with Adhaar cards and ensuring 100 per cent quality control had put Punjab on a higher pedestal amongst other States.“It was due to the aggressive persuasion by the State Government that 11 per cent coverage of the population, eligible for receiving subsidised food grains which was much lower than the neighboring states like with the same socio economic pattern, has increased manifold,” said a spokesperson of the Punjab government.Punjab was the first State in the country to have initiated the e-ration cards to the beneficiaries, in order to ensure that only genuine or deserving beneficiaries would get subsidized ration, he added.