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Updated: Jan 22, 2020 23:04 IST

Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Wednesday said the Punjab government will soon provide sugar and tea leaves at subsidised rates to the smart ration card holders.

He said a plan in this regard has been finalised by the department and the file will be sent to the finance department for clearance.

Launching the distribution of PDS wheat through ePOS machines to smart ration card scheme beneficiaries at a function held at Barewal village near Ludhiana, the minister said under the smart ration card scheme, around 1.37 crore beneficiaries of around 35 lakh families of the state are getting subsidised wheat. In Ludhiana alone, wheat is being distributed to 3.89 lakh families with the help of ePOS (electronic point of sale) machines.

He said the distribution of subsidised wheat and pulses was a brainchild of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who in 2013, introduced the Food Security Act. He said a thorough survey to weed out ineligible beneficiaries has been conducted and distribution of wheat and pulses was started through ePOS machines.

He said around 48,000 new families have been added under this scheme in Ludhiana district alone. He assured that the Punjab government was committed to fulfil all its promises made with the people.

Ashu said the beneficiaries get wheat in 30 kg sealed bags at ₹2 per kilogram twice a year. Also, 500 grams of pulses are being distributed per person per month to eligible individuals at ₹20 per kilogram.