Mann government embroiled in Mid-Day Meal and panjiri scam: Tina Chaudhary

Mann government embroiled in Mid-Day Meal and panjiri scam: Tina Chaudhary

Playing with the health of children and pregnant women by awarding contracts to private companies: Tina Chaudhary

Demand for a high-level probe and strict action against the guilty

Chandigarh 5 May ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Punjab Congress spokesperson Tina Chaudhary today levelled serious allegations against the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a press conference. She said that despite the Chief Minister holding charge of Markfed, the government deliberately awarded contracts for the Mid-Day Meal, panjiri, and other food supplies to private companies. Tina Chaudhary alleged that these private companies supplied substandard food, directly endangering the health of poor children and pregnant women. She said that low-quality food items were procured at inflated prices, causing a loss to the state exchequer.

She further stated that the companies awarded the tenders had identical addresses and submitted their bids on the same day at almost the same time, indicating large-scale collusion and a major scam. The entire matter appears to be a scam worth thousands of crores of rupees. Tina Chaudhary said that even a former chairman had acknowledged that a company was misusing the name of Verka to earn huge profits, thereby damaging the institution’s reputation. She demanded strict action against the four companies — Chandigarh Sweets, Interlink Foods Private Limited, MP Agritonics Limited, and Prakash Masale — that were awarded the contracts.

The Congress spokesperson stated that during the Congress government, panjiri was prepared using desi ghee and supplied at approximately ₹91–92 per kilogram, whereas the current government supplied low-quality panjiri made with refined oil. Despite its lower production cost, it was procured at higher prices, clearly indicating corruption and commission-based practices. She alleged that over the past several years, the supply of substandard food by private companies has resulted in more than 50% of children in the state suffering from malnutrition, adversely affecting their physical development.

Tina Chaudhary said that now that Markfed has terminated the contracts with these four companies, a fair and impartial investigation must be conducted and those responsible should be punished. She demanded that in the future, the supply of food items for Mid-Day Meals and Anganwadis should once again be routed through reliable government institutions like Markfed and Verka, to ensure nutritious food for children and women and safeguard their health.