Udupi, Feb 1 (DHNS): Former Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary has alleged that the State government has withheld the processing of as many as 38 lakh BPL cards in State and demanded that government should immediately interfere and solve the problems pertaining to the ration cards.
Addressing a protest rally organised by district BJP Backward Class Morcha, he said the government should take measures to resolve ration card mess. Failing to do so within a week, the government should face stringent protest rallies organised by BJP in State.
The taluk offices will be forcibly closed and protest rallies would be held before the office. He added that the ration cards are being distributed since many years and all previous governments would effectively ensure the process.
However, the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah has made the life of poor hell, by blocking BPL cards. The unnecessary publicity to the government owing to Annabhagya scheme, has in turn added woes to the already existing problems in the life of poor.
He alleged that majority number of BPL cards are blocked and the new applicants are not given ration cards even after applying some six or seven months ago.
Pointing out that many number of printed ration cards are lying waste in taluk office, the former minister said as many as 76000 applications for ration card in Udupi district are pending in the office for disposal. People are confused owing to the newly introduced rule by the Congress government.
The new rule says that only minister or MLA should distribute the ration cards.He demanded that measures be taken to distribute ration cards already available through gram panchayaths. Measures should be taken to recruit sufficient number of employees in the ration card distribution centers.
Officials should behave well with applicants. Further provide basic facilities must be provided to the people who stand in queue.
He complained that the 9/11 rule is another bane to the people in rural areas, who wish to construct the houses. He added the power of gram panchayath to permit the house construction is being snatched.