Mysore/Mysuru: Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa has said that the Government is mulling over issuing Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards to all the Pourakarmikas, daily wage labourers and other labour class and ‘D’ Group staff, with the discussions being held with the Chief Minister.

He was addressing media persons after chairing a Divisional-level progress review meeting of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies and Legal Metrology, at the meeting hall of Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Siddarthanagar in the city on Friday.

Legal hurdles

“There are legal hurdles to issue BPL cards to Pourakarmikas.  A discussion with CM will be initiated to deliberate whether all the Pourakarmikas, daily wagers and labourers should be extended the benefit or to only select classes of the society, before implementing the same,” said Muniyappa.

The ration card beneficiaries who haven’t completed the formalities of e-KYC should be identified and the inactive BPL cards should be converted into APL card within seven days. Those who have not submitted documents towards e-KYC procedure should be issued a prior warning and subsequently the ration be stopped. The guilty officers should not be spared from disciplinary action, he said.

No cancellation of cards

He clarified that none of the ration cards will be cancelled, but the BPL cards of those economically strong, but enjoying the benefit, shall be converted into APL. It is the responsibility of the officers to reach the ration to those 10 to15 households at hilly areas in Chamarajanagar district, said Minister Muniyappa and directed the officials to constitute District Level Vigilance Committee.

1.6 lakh card holders

Food and Civil Supplies Department Commissioner Vasireddy Vijaya Jyothsna said, still 1.69 lakh card holders have not undergone the process of e-KYC. Some more time is required for the single member card holders, while those cards containing four to five beneficiaries can be stopped issuing the ration. Those card holders who have not fulfilled the procedures for e-KYC before Aug. 5 should be warned and the issuance of ration should be stopped. Besides, disciplinary action should be taken against the officers. It is being thought over to introduce an exclusive policy for those card holders, who have been availing of the benefit only for obtaining Health Cards at the Taluk and District-levels, he said.

When senior citizens at the Taluk-level apply for Health Cards, the applications should be thoroughly examined, instructed Jyothsna. Personal Secretary to the Minister, Dr. H. Nataraj, Director of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Jagadish, Legal Metrology Controller M.S.N. Babu and other officers were present.