The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Six lakh BPL ration cards withdrawn

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Six lakh BPL ration cards withdrawn

Special Correspondent

10 lakh ineligible families given BPL ration cards
Some government employees among beneficiaries

BANGALORE: Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Hartal Halappa on Tuesday said that large-scale irregularities had taken place in the identification of families living below the poverty line (BPL), and an estimated 10 lakh ineligible families had been issued BPL cards in the State.

After reviewing the functioning of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies in Bangalore Rural district, Mr. Halappa told presspersons here that the department had identified six lakh ineligible beneficiaries and withdrawn the cards issued to them.

Mr. Halappa said there were reports that even government employees had availed themselves of BPL cards, and it had been decided to initiate criminal proceedings against such employees.

List to be displayed

To identify the ineligible families who have obtained BPL cards, all fair-price shops have been directed to display a list of BPL card holders so that the public can identify ineligible people who have availed themselves of the benefit.

There are 1.23 crore BPL families in the State, and 80 lakh of them have been issued BPL cards. The Centre provides subsidised rations for only 31 lakh BPL families identified in a national survey. The State Government pays from its coffers for the rations supplied to the remaining 50 lakh families.

The Minister said ration cards were being misused by people for getting benefits under various government schemes and for loans from banks. To prevent the misuse of ration cards, the Government had announced that hereafter ration cards should be used only for procuring rations, Mr. Halappa said.

Gram panchayat, taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat members had ensured that even ineligible families were issued BPL cards. The survey of BPL families was done by village accountants, revenue inspectors, gram panchayat secretaries and bill collectors of local bodies and not by the staff of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, he said.

Those who conducted the survey were instructed to identify the BPL families by taking suggestions from the local elected representatives. Panchayat members thus ensured that even those who were above the poverty line were issued BPL cards, Mr. Halappa said.

Subsidised sugar

Minister for Labour B.N. Bache Gowda, who is in charge of Bangalore Rural district, said BPL card holders in the district would get 1.5 kg of sugar every month at a subsidised price of Rs. 13.50 from this month.

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