The BJP accused the Bhagwant Mann-led government of “grabbing” the Centre’s wheat distribution scheme for “cheap publicity and political gain”.
Chandigarh:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on Thursday criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the idea of launching a scheme to deliver wheat flour to the doorsteps of beneficiaries. The BJP accused the Bhagwant Mann-led government of “exploiting” the Centre’s wheat distribution scheme for “cheap publicity and political gain”, while the Congress said it would put additional burden on the state exchequer.
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A section of the media reported that the AAP government is planning to start ‘home delivery’ of wheat or flour for the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act. Citing the news, BJP’s Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar alleged that the AAP government wants to sideline the central scheme. He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 80 crore poor people of the country are getting free food grains.
Jakhar said that the number of such beneficiaries in Punjab is 1.41 crore. He claimed that Rs 670 crore would be spent on the ‘home delivery’ scheme of the lot. He said that the AAP government should tell the public why the central scheme being implemented smoothly in the state is being tampered with. He alleged that an attempt was being made to “hijack” the central scheme.
Responding to Jakhar’s allegations, AAP spokesperson in Punjab Ahbab Grewal said that the BJP leader is not concerned about the state. “These people are shedding crocodile tears to fool Punjabis, but now the people of Punjab are not going to fall into their trap,” he said.
Grewal asked that if Jakhar and other BJP leaders were so concerned about Punjab, why did they not raise the issue of pending Rural Development Fund and withholding of funds under the National Health Mission before the Centre. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa warned the AAP government against this “false” scheme. Bajwa said in a statement, “Not only are the beneficiaries at risk of getting less lots, but the flagship scheme of the AAP government will also put an unnecessary burden on the state exchequer.”