Woman in Punjab food scheme ad says yet to get full benefits

As per the Punjab governments much-touted blue card scheme,Hukum Kaur,62,is entitled to 2.5 kilograms of dal and 25 kilograms of atta at subsidised prices every month....

As per the Punjab governments much-touted blue card scheme,Hukum Kaur,62,is entitled to 2.5 kilograms of dal and 25 kilograms of atta at subsidised prices every month. But she only gets seven kilograms of atta (Rs 4/kg) and one kilogram of dal (Rs 20/kg). Yet her photograph has found its way in government advertisements highlighting the success of the scheme.

Incidentally,the photograph appeared in The Indian Express as part of a series (September 18-20,2009) on how the scheme was not working. The report had highlighted that while Kaur was not getting her full entitlement,her son,who was issued a blue card on February 26 last year,had not got even a single kilogram of atta or dal. Kaur was shown holding the two cards in the photograph carried by the newspaper on September 20.

Now,Kaurs photograph has been used in full-page advertisements released by the Badal government this week. The Department of Public Relations,when contacted,blamed the goof-up on a junior official,saying the photograph had been downloaded from the internet and sent to Brand Curry,a Delhi-based private ad agency.

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However,the final approval came from the Director,Public Relations,and the Chief Ministers media advisor. Both the Director,Public Relations,Gangandeep Brar and Chief Ministers Media Advisor,Harcharan Bains,did not reply to calls.

Meanwhile,Kaurs family of 16 living at Nayi Abadi area of Fazilka are still waiting for their full entitlement as per the scheme. A year after getting a separate card,her son said he only got 17.5 kg of atta last month. He is yet to get any dal.

The scheme was started by the government in August 2007.

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