Only ineligible BPL cards will be weeded out, no impact on eligible cardholders: CM Siddaramaiah
Bagalkote (Karnataka), Nov 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday clarified that only ineligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders will be weeded out, and there will be no impact on eligible cardholders.
The CM said that he had given strict instructions to the food and civil supplies department that those eligible should not be left out.
"BPL cards are not being cancelled...we have said that we will not give BPL cards to ineligible. Should we give BPL cards to those paying income tax or government servants? Such cases will be shifted to APL (Above Poverty Line) cards from BPL cards. Still, no decision has been made, but there is thinking in this direction," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the proposal still has not come before the Cabinet from the food and civil supplies department.
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"Those eligible should be given BPL cards and those ineligible have to be removed. If eligible, they will certainly be given. I have given strict instructions to the food and civil supplies department that those eligible should not be left out..." he added.
To a question on BJP challenging him to prove his allegation that Rs 50 crore bribe was offered by the party to 50 Congress MLAs to topple the Congress government, Siddaramaiah said, "they (BJP) have tried, but failed."
The CM also expressed confidence about Congress winning bypolls held for three Assembly segments -- Channapatna, Sandur and Shiggaon -- on November 13. Counting of votes will be held on November 23.
Reacting to a question on Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan recently referring to Union Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy as "Kaalia" and its implication on bypoll held in Channapatna, he said, "He should not have said such things, whatever relationship or affection they might have shared in the past. He (Khan) said certain things to which he (Kumaraswamy) also said things....what both have said is not right."
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
