Abhishek Vij
The Punjab Cabinet met on Monday and key decisions related to public welfare were taken. During a press briefing following the meeting, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the launch of a new scheme, “Meri Rasoi,” for the state’s underprivileged. This scheme will benefit 4 million families in Punjab. Under the scheme, the government will prepare a kit for blue card holders, which will be distributed among them. In addition to wheat, this kit will include one liter of mustard oil, two kilograms of lentils, two kilograms of sugar, one kilogram of iodized salt, and 200 grams of turmeric powder.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also announced that Punjab’s budget session will begin on March 6th and continue until March 16th. For the first time, the budget will be presented on Sunday, March 8th. This budget will be based on public welfare. It will include an announcement to provide women with one thousand rupees per month. During the press briefing, the Chief Minister stated categorically that Punjab and Punjabis are known for replenishing the nation’s food reserves. Whenever the country faces a food crisis, Punjab is the first to lend a helping hand.
Historically, Punjab has made the country self-sufficient in food grain production through the Green Revolution. The Chief Minister also stated that the Punjab government has implemented effective welfare schemes in areas such as electricity, water, and education. The “Meri Rasoi” scheme is a guarantee that wasn’t included in the manifesto, but after reaching out to the people and understanding their needs, the government launched this ambitious scheme, “Meri Rasoi.” It’s worth noting that this scheme will cost Rs. 1,000 crore. These kits will be distributed every three months, meaning if implemented now, the kits will be distributed in April, June, October, and the final month, December. The government has selected beneficiaries from among those registered under the National Food Security Act. You can also call this the Punjab Government Food Program Flag Scheme.
There will be no need to prepare a list of beneficiaries, as these kits will be distributed only to those already registered under the National Food Security Act.
Some other important decisions were taken during the cabinet meeting. A new excise policy has been announced to increase revenue. However, the government has assured that liquor prices will not be increased. To strengthen the Health Department, 361 posts of staff nurses in the Group C category were approved. These appointments will address staff shortages in hospitals. The government also decided to strengthen the Economic Policy and Planning Board under the Planning Commission. The board previously had three non-government expert positions, but this has now been increased to five. Appointments to the new positions will be made soon.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also shared important information, stating that due to the tireless efforts of the state government, the state’s revenue reached Rs. 11,200 crore last year, exceeding the target. This target has now been raised to Rs. 12,000 crore.
This was possible because corruption was not allowed to flourish at any level in the state. This scheme of the Bhagwant Mann government is very beneficial and commendable for the common people. The success of this decision will depend on the honesty of the machinery distributing the material. The more honestly they work, the more the poor will benefit, and this scheme will prove to be a public welfare measure.