Bangalore: The Department of Food and Civil Supplies has completed a survey of families in the State, which has revealed that there are 64 lakh families living below the poverty line (BPL) and 16 lakh bogus ration cards are in circulation. The number of families in the State is 1.2 crore.

Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Govind Karjol told presspersons here on Tuesday that the survey was conducted to establish the exact number of families coming under the BPL, Antyodaya and Annadana categories. All the families covered under the survey would be given temporary ration coupons from June 15, and they would be valid till November.

Coupon distribution

The Minister said a team of gram panchayat secretaries and village accountants would distribute the coupons in their respective villages on payment of Rs. 5. The date and time for the distribution of coupons at the gram panchayat office would be announced locally.

Corrections about information relating to families could be made at the tahsildar's office. Then, officials would visit households and obtain the photographs and thumb impressions of each member of the family aged 12 and above. The time of their visit would also be announced.

Families would have to pay Rs. 45 at the time of being photographed, and those who were not present could go to the taluk office concerned to get their photograph taken. Each family would be given a permanent computerised ration card with photographs of all the members from August 1 to November 15 on payment of Rs. 15.

The Minister said 11 lakh families would be given Antyodaya cards and 36,000 families Annadana cards.

Mr. Karjol said that fair price shops would be given only to Stree Shakti groups, cooperative societies, Scheduled Castes (15 per cent) and Scheduled Tribes (5 per cent) in future. The secretary of the gram panchayat concerned and one prominent citizen would be present at the time of unloading foodgrains at the fair price shop.

Raids conducted

The Minister said that raids had been conducted at Bagalkot, Gajendragad and Konanakunte and kerosene worth Rs. 20 lakh seized.

Criminal cases would be filed against the shopkeepers concerned and their licences cancelled, he added.

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