Chandigarh, April 12 -- A major food security scheme for the underprivileged during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), is now at the centre of a corruption probe in Chandigarh.

Following an exhaustive probe, the UT vigilance department has registered an FIR against the National Cooperative Consumer's Federation (NCCF) and owners of two private godowns for allegedly supplying substandard and unsafe food grains to beneficiaries under this crucial scheme.

The scheme, launched by the central government between 2020 and 2022, was aimed at alleviating hardship during the pandemic by providing 2,75,000 beneficiaries in Chandigarh with free 5 kg of food grains per person per month. A total of 19,045 met...