Card-holders are eligible to get food grains at subsidised prices from fair price shops run by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies.
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Hartal Halappa said the government would soon decide on issuing BPL cards to garment workers in Bangalore, at a press conference, on Wednesday. There are about four lakh garment workers in the city. When journalists questioned about the issuing of BPL cards to workers living outside the city, the minister replied that the government would consider the suggestion.
Halappa added that he had discussed the implementation of the scheme with his officers, and would soon take up the matter with the chief minister. In the garment sector, workers are paid anywhere between Rs 3,000 and Rs 60,300 per month as salary. Thus, the government would soon frame guidelines for issuing cards to garment workers.
The minister rubbished Congress leaders’ allegation of food supplies not being distributed to people, who possess BPL cards issued at the Nemmadi centres. He said that providing rice to card-holders was delayed due to late arrival of rice from the Centre. The government had been purchasing rice from the Centre at a rate of Rs 21 per kg. But the Centre had been delaying the supply, despite repeated reminders, he said.
Call: 18004259339, a toll-free helpline to lodge complaints against irregular supply of food grains by fair price shops.
