Bangalore: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Govind M. Karjol on Tuesday said that 63 lakh applications had been received for ration cards in the below the poverty line (BPL) category, but expressed doubt whether all of them were genuine.

Mr. Karjol told presspersons here on Tuesday that according to a recent survey, there were 1.20 crore families in the above the poverty line (APL) and BPL categories. Of them, 64 lakh families had been issued BPL cards. He wondered how there could be 63 lakh more BPL families without ration cards.

The Minister said a team of senior officials held meetings in the four divisions and discussed the problems with regard to the issuance of ration cards.

Assurance

Chief executive officers of all the zilla panchayats had given an assurance that BPL cards would be issued to the rest of the eligible families before December 31. He said many families under the APL category had refused to take the cards because they felt that the cards were of no use to them.

One of the reasons for the demand for BPL cards, apart from getting subsidised rations, was that the cards were used for identifying beneficiaries for 36 government schemes. Even the Election Commission considered it an official document for identification, he said.

"I have written to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to declare that BPL card holders can get foodgrains at subsidised prices and need not produce it for gaining other welfare benefits," he said.

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