Mysuru: With the authorities setting Dec.31 deadline for illegal BPL card holders to return the same, over 81 persons have returned their BPL cards to the designated authorities in the district in a period of four days.

There are a total of 7,37,459  ration card holders in the district, including 6,93,966 BPL card holders, 24,597 APL card holders and 18,896 Antyodaya card holders.

Following rampant complaints of irregularities in the distribution of BPL cards, the Food and Civil Supplies Department had issued a press release on Nov.7 asking well-to-do families who are in possession of BPL cards to return the same before Dec.31. Subsequent to the press release, a total of 81 persons  in the district, including 33 in T. Narasipur, 23 in Mysuru taluk, 6 each in K.R. Nagar and Nanjangud, 4 each in Hunsur and Periyapatna and one in H.D. Kote have returned their BPL cards, as on Nov.13.The authorities hope that more number of well-off people will return their BPL cards in the coming days before the Dec.31 deadline.

Those returning their BPL cards will not be penalised  and such people will be issued APL cards immediately. As a result, more and more number of people who are in possession of BPL cards are expected to come forward to return the same and get APL cards instead.

Meanwhile, the Government which has taken illegal BPL cards issue seriously, will launch a drive to find out those who are in illegal possession of BPL cards  and take action against them.The Food and Civil Supplies Department has sought the help of Transport Department and the Income Tax Department to track down illegal BPL card holders.

The following category of persons /families are ineligible to have BPL cards.

Persons whose annual family income exceeds Rs.1.2 lakh, Employees of Government, Semi-Government, Quasi-Government bodies, autonomous institutions, Boards and Corporations etc., families paying Income-Tax, Service Tax, VAT, Professional Tax etc.,  families owning more than three hectare of farmland in rural areas, persons owning a house of more than a thousand square feet floor area in urban areas, families owning four wheelers, tractors,Maxi-cabs etc., for personal use.