The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : State Government holds out hope to poor families

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 06, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

State Government holds out hope to poor families

Bageshree S.

There have been protests by ration card holders in some districts

COMMON SIGHT: A file picture of people standing in a queue in front of a fair price shop for the regular quota of kerosene. — Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Bangalore: In recent weeks there have been media reports of protests by ration card holders in many districts against what are seen as unreasonable guidelines for identifying below the poverty line (BPL) families, and anomalies in the distribution of cards to those identified.

The seriousness of the issue has forced a response from Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy who has promised removing/altering guidelines on identifying such families.

While the Centre has set only an economic criterion for identification of BPL families (income of Rs. 12,000 per annum in rural areas and Rs. 17,000 in urban areas), Karnataka has identified 13 specific guidelines based on consumption patterns to determine the income level.

Mr. Kumaraswamy has promised to remove/alter three of these eligibility guidelines. These relate to the extent of land a family owns, whether it is in possession of a two-wheeler, and whether it owns a mobile phone.

Minister for Food and Civil supplies Govind M. Karjol admits that there are cases both of eligible people being left out of the BPL list and of single families having multiple cards.

An earlier "oral instruction" to the panchayats to keep the number of BPL families under 60 per cent of the population also put many eligible people out of the BPL bracket, he added. Those left out can now submit applications to the village accountant or tahsildar for inclusion.

According to the Food and Civil Supplies Department census done in 2005, of the total of 1.20 crore families in the State, 64 lakh are BPL families.

However, the total number of BPL cards now in circulation is over 70 lakh. This number, crucially, is way above the limit (as per the Lakhdawala Committee recommendations, 1993) of 31.29 lakhs set by the Centre for subsidy by Food Corporation of India (FCI).

The difference between the two is categorised as extra below poverty line (EBPL), the subsidy for which is an additional burden on the State. Relaxing norms, it is feared, might further push up the number of EBPL families. However, this does not seem to be a concern for the State Government. "The Government will issue cards to all eligible families," promises Mr. Karjol.

The promises nevertheless have to be translated to policy.

The shift in 1997 from the Universal Public Distribution System (UPDS) to the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) narrowed food subsidy access to only BPL families, leaving many out of the public distribution network.

A member of the Working Group on Food and Nutrition, of the Planning Commission, told The Hindu that the "official estimate of poverty is too narrow and leaves out large numbers of food-insecure people".

The issue of food subsidy is particularly important for Karnataka where the Government now plans to address the problems of backwardness of the northern districts which have seen the largest protests by ration card holders.

Incidentally, a paper entitled "The Extent of Chronic Hunger and Malnutrition" presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 22 identifies Karnataka as one of the six States where "poverty remains concentrated".

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