At least 20% BPL families should be in APL category, says Karnataka Minister KH Muniyappa
Belagavi: The Karnataka Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K H Muniyappa on Monday said in legislative council that at least 20 per cent of the families with Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards should be in the Above Poverty Line (APL) category.
He blamed the previous governments for the high number of Below Poverty Line ration cards in the state and appealed to all the political parties to rise above their party line and rectify this mistake.
“I accept that there are many APL families in the BPL category. They are at least 20 per cent. I tried to remove them, which led to the confusion,” he added replying to a question raised by the JD(S) MLC K A Thippeswamy in the Legislative council. Thippeswamy had asked the government about the recent confusion over the deletion of many BPL families from the list.
The MLC, however, pointed out that there are 1.43 crore families with BPL ration cards in the state, which means that almost 80 per cent of people have this ration card.
"Why has this happened? Have you investigated it?" Thippeswamy asked. In reply, Muniyappa said, “Successive governments are responsible for the increase in the BPL ration cards. I tried to bring many in the BPL to the APL. This effort created confusion.” He said he would scrutinise the list.
“Without causing trouble to a single BPL family, I will get a detailed inquiry conducted to bring the BPL families into the APL category,” the Minister told the House. He clarified that the government will not cancel the APL card holders.
According to him, there are 25 lakh APL card holders, of which only one lakh avail food grains at a subsidised rates.
Explaining the reason behind his apprehension that there are less BPL families, Muniyappa said Karnataka is the second economically strong state after Maharashtra.
Here the BPL families should be less in number but none of the southern states have above 50 per cent BPL families. “However, Karnataka has 65 per cent to 70 per cent BPL families which is not right and you all are aware of it. We need to resolve it rising above the party level. Then only it can be rectified,” the Minister said.
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State will send ₹850 crore proposal to Centre for development of Malpe harbour: Min Mankal Vaidya
Udupi: The State will submit a Rs 850 crore proposal to the Union government for the overall development of the Malpe fishing harbour, Karnataka Minister Mankal S. Vaidya announced while laying the foundation stone for a Rs 12.52 crore modernisation project of the harbour under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
“If the Union government does not consider the proposal, the State government will finance the proposed project,” The Hindu quoted Vaidya, state's Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport, as saying.
Vaidya noted that Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules continue to hinder coastal development in Karnataka, preventing the implementation of projects worth Rs 2,034 crore. He stressed the need for CRZ norms in the state to be aligned with those in other states, where such regulations do not pose a barrier to coastal infrastructure and development initiatives.
Speaking at the event, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said the PMMSY has revitalised the fisheries sector, enabling the implementation of several projects that benefit fishing communities nationwide. He urged the state government to prioritise dredging of estuaries and upgrading fisheries jetties to ensure year-round navigability and the safety of fishing vessels.
The Rs 12.52 crore modernisation project will focus on enhancing sanitation and water supply at the harbour, upgrading fish handling capacity, and strengthening security at the port, The Hindu quoted fisheries and ports officials as saying.
A reliable water supply and improved handling facilities are expected to speed up auctions and vessel turnarounds, while upgraded wastewater systems will help tackle long-standing issues of odour and contamination at the harbour.
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