Ineligible BPL cards to be cancelled by this month

Kodagu zilla panchayat has given a deadline to food and civil supplies department till the end of the month to cancel the BPL cards availed by coffee estate owners and four-wheeler owners.

A decision to this effect was taken at the annual action plan meeting on the Zilla Panchayat projects at Old Fort Hall in Madikeri on Thursday.

Member Sarojamma said the poor are not getting BPL cards. Food and civil supplies department deputy director Chandrakanth Nayak said a total of 80,000 BPL cards have been distributed in the district. Coffee estate owners and owners of four-wheelers too have availed BPL cards, he said.

As soon as Nayak made this statement, the members, irrespective of their party affiliations, criticised the statement and said that the official himself has admitted that the cards have been distributed to ineligible canidates and urged the meeting to a pass privilege motion against the official. Later, Nayak clarified that 3,072 such BPL cards have been converted into APL cards. The government has ordered the cancellation of ineligible BPL cards. Zilla Panchayat President Harish directed the official to cancel the BPL card availed by government employees.

The members vented their ire against some panchayat development officers (PDOs) for discrepancy of duties. Some members even sought transfer some of PDOs. Madikeri Taluk Panchayat President Tekkade Shobha said taluk panchayats should be allowed to initiate action against PDOs.

‘PDOs not working’

Harish said that only 64 PDOs are working in 104 gram panchayats. The issue has also been brought to the notice of the Rural Development Minister H K Patil and he has assured of solving the problem, he said.

Member Saritha Poonaccha suggested setting up an atrocity prevention committee in government departments with more than 10 women employees. The zilla panchayat officials clarified that a committee has already been formed in the panchayat office and the circular towards the formation of the committee has been sent to other departments.

Member Chandrakala urged to withdraw the step of stating LKG classes in Virajpet government school saying that it was a bad trend.

DDPI J R Bsavaraju said LKG classes were started in 45 government schools during his tenure in Hassan. But, the students, after completing UKG, had shifted to English medium schools.

Virajpet BEO H K Pandu has started LKG classes in Virajpet school without bringing to notice, the DDPI said and added that the classes will be discontinued.

The meeting discussed the issue of lack of wardens at hostels in the district. BCM officer K V Suresh said there is a provision to appoint retired BEd teachers as hostel wardens. But, nobody is showing interest as there is no suitable honourarium, he added.

A resolution was passed to select Madikeri Taluk Panchayat President Tekkade Shobha and Palibetta Gram Panchayat President Puliyanda Bopanna, to the State Panchayat Council.