Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 19: The department of food and civil supplies has initiated measures to trace ‘suspect’ Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district, following information from the central government that several ineligible individuals have obtained such cards.

According to the list sent by the central government, there are 7.76 lac ineligible ration cards across the state. Work will soon begin to identify how many of these belong to Dakshina Kannada. The district currently has a total of 4,56,368 ration cards, including 22,864 under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and 28,000 BPL cards, informed Anita Madloor, deputy director of the food and civil supplies department.

“There has always been suspicion that ineligible cards exist. Now, the central government has officially provided a list, and it needs to be verified across various parameters,” she said.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the criteria being used to declare cards ineligible. “It is not fair to cancel BPL cards merely because a household has a cement wall or owns a mobile phone. In urban areas, needs are more important than income limits. Possessing essential items does not automatically make someone wealthy. At a time when an old car can be bought for Rs 25,000, can we say that anyone owning a car is rich?” asked Imtiyaz, president of the street vendors’ association.

He further added, “Eligibility criteria must not result in injustice. In Dakshina Kannada, people are already facing various challenges. Due to scarcity of stone and sand, many APL card holders are left without work, effectively pushing them into BPL status. Similarly, communal conflicts have reduced tourist inflow, weakening economic activity. Hence, it may be necessary to revise the criteria relevant to our region.”

The number of illegal cards in Dakshina Kannada is comparatively low. “There is no instance here where individuals owning two acres of land have obtained BPL cards. However, it is true that many genuinely eligible families have been deprived of BPL benefits. Several such people have approached the CPM office requesting assistance in getting cards issued. These lapses must be corrected,” said party leader B M Bhatt.