Nawanshahr, July 21- Eligible beneficiaries of Atta-Daal scheme launched by Badal government on August 15, 2007 are still availing the benefits, but since then Punjab government has not been able to expand this scheme properly. Till now most of the eligible beneficiaries are deprived of the benefits of this scheme and are forced to stand in queues in front of government officials, as the websites are closed.
It is worth mentioning here that on August 15, 2007, based on the reports received from the state, late Chief Minister of Punjab Mr. Parkash Singh Badal had launched Atta-Daal scheme to meet the needs of the needy people, so that no Punjabi resident, no matter how much bread he is able to get, sleeps hungry. Atta was being given at Rs 4 per kg and dal at Rs 20 per kg.
Whereas in the year 2013, the central government cleared its name and changed the name of this scheme to National Food Security Act 2013 and people continued to get employment. In the year 2022, when the Aam Aadmi Party government was formed in Punjab, they started making cuts in the name of making records as soon as they came.
As soon as the investigation started, the names of 4 to 5 thousand eligible and ineligible beneficiaries of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district were removed from the government lists and made anonymous as an option. In the Lok Sabha elections, when the government received a secret report that these needy people can contest the elections by winning, the names of all the beneficiaries whose names were removed by the government were restored and all those people are still taking advantage of this scheme of the Punjab government.
It is also worth mentioning here that recently the government had issued orders to the people to complete KYC, in which till now 89480 people of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district had completed KYC, while in January 2025 the number of these beneficiaries was 90521. According to this, 1041 people are yet to complete their KYC. If we look at the government officials, 82 percent KYC has been completed so far. It has been completed and 18 percent include some children and elderly people, whose KYC is yet to be done.
When will these remaining people get the benefit of this scheme of Punjab Government, it can be said that despite the best efforts of the department in the past, only 82 percent KYC was completed. It is also worth mentioning here that at present there are 15617 beneficiaries in Nawanshahr tehsil of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, 12622 in Banga tehsil, 10226 in Balachaur tehsil and 6223 in Rahon. Now it remains to be seen that in the coming time, how many of the 18 percent people will wake up, who will get the benefit of this scheme.

What does the Chairman and MLA Dr. Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi say-
When Punjab Government Chairman MLA Dr. Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi was talked to in this regard, he said that no needy person of the district will be deprived of this scheme. He said that tomorrow on 22nd July, he is having a special meeting with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on this issue. Whatever shortcomings there are, they will be fulfilled, so that the needy beneficiaries can get the benefit of this scheme of the Punjab Government.