Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Sep 4: Around 2.15 lac families in Dakshina Kannada district have availed themselves of the benefit of direct cash transfer instead of the five kilos of rice a month under the Anna Bhagya scheme. However, though eligible, another 5514 families have been deprived of the facility.

The stoppage of the issue of new ration cards is the reason for the families not getting the direct cash transfer benefit.

Sources in food and civil supplies department said, “15749 families applied for new BPL cards in the district. Among them 745 families withdrew. Revenue inspector submitted a spot inspection report of 13240 families. Out of them 7996 families were given BPL cards while 1969 of them got rejected.”

An official of the department said, “The process of applying for new BPL cards has been stopped from March 2023. Some confusion with regard to providing for five kilos of extra rice needs to be sorted out. Once it is done, government may start the process of issuing BPL and Anthyodaya cards again.”

“As per the statement of the state government of providing for direct cash transfer benefit instead of the five kilos of additional rice for the beneficiaries in the month of July, an amount of Rs 17.42 crore has been sanctioned and Rs 15.02 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries,” said the official.