Mysore/Mysuru: Citing ‘technical problems’ and ‘risk involved in collecting bio-metric details owing to Covid-19,’ the application forms to obtain Antyodaya and Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards are not being entertained online in the last six months. 

The citizens are questioning that while the Above Poverty Line (APL) cards were issued without any hassles why only restrictions for issuing the BPL cards?

 The outbreak of Corona pandemic is posing one or the other problems to citizens. Poor people are tired of making attempts to submit filled-in application forms online as the application receiving process has stopped functioning for many months. Personal visit to the office concerned was not of any help as officers are hesitant to collect the bio-metric details from people citing ‘COVID-19’ situation. In the absence of those cards, the poor families are being denied monthly free ration.

According to information available, as many as 1,88,152 applications have been submitted for the BPL cards and 61,233 applications for the APL cards in the State. In Mysuru district, 9,176 persons have  applied for BPL and 1,568 for APL cards. Applying online for these cards has been stopped since April to clear pending applications. 

A resident of Alanahalli said bio-metric was compulsory not only for APL cards but also for Antyodaya and BPL cards. While the officials are ready to take bio-metric details from APL card applicants why are they preventing the applicants for other cards?

On an average, around 15-20 persons are applying for new ration cards. However, they have been told that the website was not opening to apply online only for Antyodaya and BPL cards. The ration card was a must to apply for loan from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation, Valmiki Development Corporation and other Development Corporations to start own business. But many of them are returning with disappointment as they are unable to apply for new ration cards, said an owner of a cyber centre in Saraswathipuram.

Accepting online application for the new Antyodaya and BPL cards has stopped since April. This has been brought to our notice and will be addressed soon. However, we are distributing 10 kg of rice to people without ration cards on the basis of Aadhaar card as per directions from the State Government owing to COVID-19 situation,” says P. Shivanna, Joint Director, Department of Food and Civil Supplies