Karnataka to reissue BPL cards for eligible families: Deputy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday assured families living Below the Poverty Line that the government will reissue BPL cards to eligible households if their cards were mistakenly cancelled.

The assurance follows controversy over reports that over 22.6 lakh BPL cardholders were deemed ineligible, prompting criticism from the opposition BJP. The party accused the ruling Congress of mishandling the issue.

Addressing reporters, Shivakumar said the government’s actions adhered to parameters set by the Centre for BPL eligibility. He added that any errors leading to the cancellation of cards for eligible families would be rectified.

"There have been discrepancies in some areas and we will address them. A review is underway to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries," Shivakumar said.

When questioned about the lack of physical verification before cancelling cards, he noted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had issued instructions to the relevant minister.

Shivakumar said a list of cancelled cards would be sent to MLAs for verification.

The Deputy CM also announced that the Guarantee Implementation Committee would oversee home visits to resolve errors in the cancellation process.