Centre hasn't reduced even a single NFSA beneficiary in Punjab, only asked for recheck: Food Min Joshi

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Food Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday said the Centre has not reduced even a single beneficiary from the approved 1.41 crore beneficiaries under NFSA in Punjab, but only asked the state government to recheck beneficiaries based on the inclusion criteria so that deserving claimants get the benefit.

His remark came hours after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that the BJP-led Central government wants the removal of names of more than eight lakh ration card holders in the state under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), but his government will not allow it.

"Bhagwant Mann ji needs to get the facts right," Joshi said in a post on X, clarifying that the mandatory eKYC of beneficiaries was directed by the Supreme Court and the Centre is merely asking states to implement it.

He added that Punjab has been given multiple extensions to complete the process.

The minister explained that under the NFSA 2013, it is the state government's responsibility to identify eligible beneficiaries based on their own exclusion and inclusion criteria, with the central government having no role in this process.

"The Central Government has merely asked to do a recheck on the beneficiaries based on the inclusion criteria set by the Punjab Government. This way, deserving beneficiaries, who were not part of this scheme, may be added," Joshi said, emphasising that all 1.41 crore beneficiaries will continue to receive free food grains.

Earlier, addressing the media in Chandigarh, Mann had claimed that his government received a report from the Centre, suggesting the deletion of 8,02,493 ration card holders in Punjab as they are no longer eligible.

"Recently, we received a report from the BJP government at the Centre that 8,02,493 ration cards are being cut," Mann said, asserting that his government would not allow deletion of even a single ration card.

Mann said Punjab has 1.53 crore beneficiaries under the NFSA, who receive wheat, adding that the AAP government always stands by the poor. PTI LUX BAL BAL