<p>The State government has changed the guidelines for issuing Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, following an increase in the number of applications for the card, after the implementation of Anna Bhagya scheme.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The government has identified 14 criteria for this. If an applicant falls under any one of the criteria, he will not be eligible for a BPL card.<br /><br />They are: A person who pays income tax, government workers, members of factories, industries and corporations of the State government, employees in independent organisations or boards, permanent staff of co-operative bodies, professionals such as doctors, hospitality staff, lawyers, accountants etc, all traders apart from road side vendors, individuals with more than 7.5 acres of dry or irrigated land, individuals who own any vehicle apart from one income generating autorickshaw, employees of aided and unaided educational institutes, people who rent out houses or rooms, families who pay electricity bill of Rs 450 or more, individuals who work in multinational companies are among the criteria, satisfying which families will not be eligible for BPL cards. <br /><br />Scrutiny<br /><br />Department of Food and Civil Supplies is taking steps to scrutinise all BPL card applications, as more than one member of a family are applying for BPL cards in the district.<br /><br />With the stipulations of new guidelines for BPL by the government, steps are being taken by the district administration to cut down the number of cards.<br /><br />According to a new rule, number of BPL cards must not be greater than 70 per cent of the number of families in rural areas, while it should not be more than 50 per cent in urban areas.<br /><br />In Hassan, the number of BPL cards is 95 per cent in rural areas and 65 per cent in urban areas. If the new guidelines are implemented about 25 per cent of the cards in rural areas will be cancelled.<br /><br />New applications for BPL cards from rural areas should be jointly scrutinised by Panchayat Development Officer, secretary and village accountants of respective Grama Panchayats in rural areas and revenue inspectors, food inspectors and officials from revenue department in urban areas. The process should be completed by October 30, a circular by the State government read.<br /></p>
<p>The State government has changed the guidelines for issuing Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, following an increase in the number of applications for the card, after the implementation of Anna Bhagya scheme.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The government has identified 14 criteria for this. If an applicant falls under any one of the criteria, he will not be eligible for a BPL card.<br /><br />They are: A person who pays income tax, government workers, members of factories, industries and corporations of the State government, employees in independent organisations or boards, permanent staff of co-operative bodies, professionals such as doctors, hospitality staff, lawyers, accountants etc, all traders apart from road side vendors, individuals with more than 7.5 acres of dry or irrigated land, individuals who own any vehicle apart from one income generating autorickshaw, employees of aided and unaided educational institutes, people who rent out houses or rooms, families who pay electricity bill of Rs 450 or more, individuals who work in multinational companies are among the criteria, satisfying which families will not be eligible for BPL cards. <br /><br />Scrutiny<br /><br />Department of Food and Civil Supplies is taking steps to scrutinise all BPL card applications, as more than one member of a family are applying for BPL cards in the district.<br /><br />With the stipulations of new guidelines for BPL by the government, steps are being taken by the district administration to cut down the number of cards.<br /><br />According to a new rule, number of BPL cards must not be greater than 70 per cent of the number of families in rural areas, while it should not be more than 50 per cent in urban areas.<br /><br />In Hassan, the number of BPL cards is 95 per cent in rural areas and 65 per cent in urban areas. If the new guidelines are implemented about 25 per cent of the cards in rural areas will be cancelled.<br /><br />New applications for BPL cards from rural areas should be jointly scrutinised by Panchayat Development Officer, secretary and village accountants of respective Grama Panchayats in rural areas and revenue inspectors, food inspectors and officials from revenue department in urban areas. The process should be completed by October 30, a circular by the State government read.<br /></p>
