People line up to get Congress ‘guarantees’, demand increases for BPL cards

BENGALURU: The Congress’ pre-polls five major guarantees has led to an increase in the demand for Below Poverty Line ration cards. However, if people change their ration cards with the desire of getting 10 kg free rice per person under the guarantee scheme, they may need to think before doing it.

According to the Food, Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, about three lakh illegal BPL cards have been cancelled in one year and a penalty of Rs 13 crore has been collected. The penalty is imposed on the account of ration rice received so far which is Rs 38 per kg.

Food, Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs Department officer Jnanendra said officials have been instructed to verify the new eligible applications.

If a household has a four-wheeler or yellow board on their vehicle, the BPL card will be cancelled. If BPL card holders are government employees or income tax payers, the BPL cards will be cancelled. But people have a lot of expectations and are lining up to get the government ‘guarantees’

Jnanendra, Food, civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, said, “Most of the BPL card-holders have a lot of expectations from the Congress’ guarantee schemes and demand for BPL cards has been increased after the Congress came into power”.

“The department has received about 70,000 applications in just six days from May 14 to May 20. A total of 2.88 lakh applications were received for BPL cards so far. There is a limit to get subsidy from the central government. According to the National Food Security Act, only 4.01 crore people can get BPL facilities. Already, we have 4.3 crore and APL card holders. There are already 30 lakh additional cards in Karnataka. So now the department is checking for new and eligible applications. Applications of new BPL applicants will be disposed of in the first week of June”, Jnanendra added.

“We have been given approval for BPL cards two times during the pandemic period for 2.76 lakh additions in November 2021 and we have approved 1.55 lakh of BPL cards. We have been instructed by Food and Civil Supplies Department officers to verify the new application and keep it ready for approval from the government”, he added.

About three lakh cards have been cancelled in the last year. About 11,000 card holders have four-wheelers, so their cards got cancelled. Above 18,000 BPL cards got cancelled as they were income tax payers and well-salaried employees. “The BPL cards of about 18,000-19,000 government servants were also cancelled”, he added.