The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Ration dealers allege cancellation of BPL cards

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 07, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Ration dealers allege cancellation of BPL cards

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The All India Ration Dealers' Association alleged here on Saturday that the Government had cancelled two lakh ration cards for BPL families in the State.

The BPL cards were shifted to the APL category without informing the holders, said association general secretary Babychen Mukkadan and State secretary A. Shajahan at a press conference here. The decision was based on a Government order issued by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, they said.

The association said the card holders would lose their right to get food grains at concessional rate. It would also deprive them of medical treatment facilities, insurance cover and membership in Kudumbasree units.

The association is planning a hunger strike in front of the Secretariat on February 19 to press the demand for issuing BPL ration cards to all eligible persons.

The association leaders also called on the Government to review the decision to open an outlet for gold ornaments at the hypermarket to be set up by the Supplyco in Kochi. They proposed that the funds allocated for the project be instead utilised to open more Sabari and Maveli stores.

The association appealed to the Chief Minister to check the move to replace Supplyco managing director Jacob Thomas who had unearthed corruption in the corporation.

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