Chandigarh, Aug 19 — The Punjab State Food Commission has recommended the creation of a government-owned brand, Punjab Mart, to promote the state’s food products at the international level. A formal proposal has been submitted to the Punjab Government, Commission Chairman Bal Mukand Sharma said while briefing Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
Sharma added that the initiative could help generate rural employment by strengthening Punjab’s cooperative sector. He stressed the need for coordination among the departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Rural Development, Cooperation and Employment Generation, along with Punjab Agricultural University and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies.
Minister Kataruchak urged the Commission to study best practices adopted by other states before moving ahead. He also pointed to ongoing initiatives to strengthen nutritional security in Punjab, noting that nutrition gardens with fruit trees, vegetables and herbs have been established in schools.
During the review meeting, the minister also examined the functioning of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which provides food to schoolchildren, and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which supports children under six, as well as pregnant and lactating women, through Anganwadi Centres. The Poshan Vatika initiative under the Poshan Abhiyan was also assessed. These small gardens, located near Anganwadi Centres, grow fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants to enhance nutrition.
Kataruchak directed officials to ensure strict quality control in food distribution, especially in drought-like situations. “There should be no compromise in providing quality food to people, as it is part of the right to food under Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to live with dignity,” he said.
