Bengaluru: The govt has moved 4.3 lakh below poverty line (BPL) ration cards to the above poverty line (BPL) category after verifying beneficiaries whose names were flagged by the Centre, food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa revealed Thursday.In an exercise beginning Sept last year, the department verified 7.8 lakh BPL cards identified by the Centre. Officials said 55,666 beneficiaries found eligible during the verification were retained under the BPL category, while scrutiny of about 40% is continuing through door-to-door verification.Reviewing the govt’s three-year performance, Muniyappa said no further action would be taken against beneficiaries whose cards were reclassified.He also said Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission headed by former minister and MLA RV Deshpande has submitted its recommendations on revising BPL eligibility norms and the report will be placed before the cabinet at its next meeting.“Even if a daily wager works 25 days a month and earns Rs 500 a day, the annual income comes to Rs 1.5 lakh,” he said, noting that assistance such as the Rs 2,000 monthly payment to women heads of families further raises household income, making the existing income ceiling outdated.Karnataka currently has 4.4 crore beneficiaries covered under 1.2 crore Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household ration cards issued by the Centre and state. This covers 65.9% of the state’s population under the National Food Security Act — one of the highest among states.Muniyappa said the govt has instructed deputy commissioners and tahsildars to issue fresh BPL cards to all eligible families within 15 days so that genuine beneficiaries replace those whose cards were cancelled without delay.The department is also strengthening measures to curb diversion of foodgrains by installing GPS devices in transport vehicles, CCTV cameras at warehouses and setting up a central command and control centre in Bengaluru.
