BENGALURU: Amid the chaos and confusion over the Karnataka government cancelling BPL (below poverty line) ration cards, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa on Thursday assured that the BPL cards of families who are eligible will not be cancelled.
This comes after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of BPL card cancellation, asking the Food and Civil Supplies minister to resign. The Karnataka government is undertaking a BPL card revision process reviewing the eligibility of these ration card holders, hoping to retrieve ineligible cards.
Speaking on this, Muniyappa said that only one or 2 per cent of BPL cards have been converted to Above Poverty Line (APL) cards. “Today, we have decided that there is no question of cancelling the BPL cards. Every card is eligible. They will get the rice after one week. We have got enough money to disburse for the DBT (direct bank transfer). There is no money-related problem. The only thing is that while we are doing this, 1 or 2 per cent of BPL cards have been converted to APL (Above Poverty Line). The Chief Minister has taken a decision that all the BPL cards must be restored except for government employees and income tax payers”, Muniyappa explained.
Reacting to BJP demanding his resignation over the issue, he said that BJP is an opposition party and it was their duty to ask for his resignation. “It is not required”, the minister added. “We have decided to convert BPL cards belonging to taxpayers and government employees. 4,036 government employee cards have been revised. 1,02,509 cards are being reviewed and 8,647 BPL cards have been cancelled”, Muniyappa said.
On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had lashed out at the BJP for “politicising the government’s decision to review eligibility for Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders”. Speaking to reporters, he said, “We are not taking anyone’s food away. BJP has no other business than politicising. The percentage of BPL card holders in many constituencies is around 90 pc. My constituency has 90 pc, and Holenarasipura has 92 pc BPL card holders. Hence, we need to ensure that genuine and needy people get BPL cards. Some BPL cards have been cancelled after review”.
He was replying to the BJP’s allegation that the government was robbing people of their food. (ANI)