Punjab Assembly Day 4: Migrant Workers' Ration Issue, Water Supply Concerns and Key Government Announcements
The proceedings of the fourth day of the Punjab Legislative Assembly's Monsoon Session began today. Responding to a question in the House, Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh announced that the Punjab Health Department will soon recruit 700 new nurses. Appointment letters will be handed over to them on Saturday, which is expected to help address the shortage of staff in government hospitals.
During the session, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurdit Singh raised the issue of migrant workers living in Punjab using their Aadhaar cards to obtain wheat from fair price shops (depots). He claimed that this was depriving eligible Punjab residents of their rightful ration benefits and demanded that a separate quota be allocated for migrant workers.
In response, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak stated that the government had carried out a verification of ration cards in 2023, which temporarily reduced wheat distribution. Eligible ration cards were restored in 2024, and the KYC verification process is currently underway.
The minister explained that under the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme, any Indian citizen can collect ration from any state using their ration card. Therefore, migrant workers receiving ration in Punjab do not deprive local residents of their entitlements, as the scheme allows beneficiaries to access ration anywhere in the country.
He further informed the House that the ration card portal has been open since August 11, allowing eligible citizens to apply for new ration cards or complete the required formalities online. So far, 10 lakh (1 million) new ration cards have been issued. He also remarked that while previous governments only issued tokens, the present government has provided actual ration cards to beneficiaries.
Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan observed that fair price shops are often very small, with no seating arrangements, forcing people to stand in long queues for hours. MLA Sandeep Jakhar suggested that more machines should be installed at these outlets. However, Minister Kataruchak responded that there was no shortage of machines and informed the House that 4,400 new depots are being opened, which would help resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, AAP MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu questioned the government's policy regarding the waiver of sewerage bills for flats measuring up to 125 square yards. In reply, Minister Harjot Singh Bains clarified that the government currently has no scheme that waives sewerage bills for houses of that size.
Sidhu pointed out that there are 89-square-yard double-storey flats in his constituency. When residents were asked to pay water and sewerage charges, they questioned why they were not receiving the exemption reportedly available to properties up to 125 square yards. He added that the matter has already reached the courts and asked when these residents would receive the benefits they deserve.
AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj also raised the issue of drinking water supply in the colonies of her constituency. She said that the water pipelines in Sundar Basti and Ambedkar Colony have become very old. The government replied that there is currently no plan to replace these pipelines.
Reacting to the response, Bharaj remarked that officials had prepared their reply while sitting in air-conditioned offices and drinking RO water, whereas the reality on the ground is that contaminated water is leading to an increase in diarrhoea cases in the area. She demanded that teams from the Health and Water Supply Departments be sent to inspect the situation.
Minister Harjot Singh Bains acknowledged that ground realities are often different from official reports. He emphasized that clean drinking water is everyone's right and assured the House that the issue would be addressed.
