Siddaramaiah defends BPL ration card cancellation, says only ineligible beneficiaries affected
New Delhi, Nov 21: In a strong defence of the Karnataka government's move to cancel ration cards, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday clarified that only government employees and income tax payers are being weeded out from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list, not eligible poor beneficiaries.
Talking to reporters, Siddaramaiah asserted that the cancellation is in line with the National Food Security Act, which explicitly bars government employees and income tax payers from receiving BPL ration cards.
He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of raising a politically motivated issue despite originally opposing the food security legislation.
"The rights of eligible ration card holders will be fully protected," the chief minister emphasised, dismissing opposition claims that the move was linked to fund constraints for implementing poll promises.
ALSO READ: Karnataka to reissue BPL cards for eligible families: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
The controversy stems from the Karnataka government's recent survey identifying 22.63 lakh BPL card-holders as ineligible. This move has triggered a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and the BJP.
Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi claimed the central government had directed the state to clean the beneficiary lists. He alleged that the card cancellation was a strategy to avoid implementing the state's Gruha Lakshmi Yojana scheme.
Siddaramaiah hit back, reminding that the food security law was introduced during the Manmohan Singh government in 2013 to protect poor citizens' interests. He criticised the BJP for previously reducing food grain allocation from seven kg to five kg per beneficiary during B S Yediyurappa's tenure.
The chief minister categorically stated that there would be no compromise on the five poll guarantees and that sufficient funds were available for their implementation.
Siddaramaiah was in the national capital for the launch of Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Ltd's Nandini brands in Delhi. He also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the issue of farm loan.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lokayukta raids four Karnataka govt officials, finds disproportionate assets worth over Rs 26.66 cr
Bengaluru, Nov 21: Karnataka Lokayukta Police on Thursday conducted search operations across the state in connection with complaints regarding disproportionate asset cases registered against four government officers, and it was found that they had acquired disproportionate assets worth over Rs 26.66 crore.
Simultaneously, searches were conducted at the residences, offices and houses of the relatives of the accused government officers at more than 22 places.
The search pertains to cases registered at Lokayukta Police Stations of Bengaluru, Mandya, and Chikkaballapura, an official release said.
The officials are Krishnaveni M C, a Senior Geologist, Mines and Geology Department; Mahesh, Managing Director of Kaveri Neeravari Nigama's Surface Water Data Center; N K Thippeswamy, Director of Town and Country Planning; and Mohan K, Excise Superintendent at the office of the Joint Commissioner of Excise.
Lokayukta officials have documents, assets and valuables, including gold ornaments and cash.
According to Lokayukta, while Krishnaveni M C has acquired disproportionate assets to the tune of over Rs 11.93 crore, Mahesh has acquired over Rs 6.89 crore.
Mohan had acquired disproportionate assets worth over Rs 4.37 crore and it was Rs 3.46 crore in the case of Thippeswamy, they said.
