Bengaluru (Karnataka): Amid the chaos over the Karnataka government cancelling ration (Below Poverty Line) cards, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa on Thursday assured that the BPL cards of families that remain eligible would not be cancelled.
This comes after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of BPL card cancellation, asking the Karnataka 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, Karnataka Minister Muniyappa said that only one or two per cent of BPL cards have been converted to Above Poverty Line (APL) cards.
Minister KH Muniappa informed about this in a press conference today at Vidhansouda. He said, "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 one or two per cent of BPL cards have been converted to APL (Above Poverty Line). That's why today we have decided, the Chief Minister has taken a decision that all the (BPL) cards must be restored except for government employees and income tax-payers".
Reacting to BJP demanding his resignation over the issue, he said that BJP was an opposition party and it was their duty to ask (for resignation). "It is not required," the minister added.
"We have decided to convert BPL cards belonging to tax-payers 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.
