Punjab CM Mann Accuses Centre of Stopping Free Ration

Chandigarh – Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the Central Government of conspiring to stop the free ration facility for 55 lakh beneficiaries in the state.

In an open letter to the people of Punjab, Mann alleged that the Centre is discriminating against the state. “After stealing votes of people linked to other political parties, they now want to steal your ration, but I will not let the BJP do this,” the CM wrote.

According to Mann, the Centre has issued an order under which the ration supply for 55 lakh people will be discontinued. He said Punjab currently provides ration to 1.53 crore people, and if the order is implemented, one out of every three poor families will lose access to food grains. “This is not just a government decision, it is a direct attack on the poor, labourers, farmers, and common families of Punjab,” he added.

✅ Centre’s Response

Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Joshi dismissed the allegations, stating that many poor families without ration cards are still outside the scheme. He suggested the Punjab Government should first clean the beneficiary list and include genuine families instead of making accusations.

The dispute has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the AAP-led Punjab government and the BJP-led Centre, with the issue of free ration becoming a flashpoint ahead of upcoming state-level political campaigns.