People can resume applying for new BPL cards from October: Karnataka minister K.H. Muniyappa
Manipal: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs K.H. Muniyappa said that the ongoing revision of Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards in Karnataka will conclude by this month’s end, and people can resume applying for new BPL cards from October.
“If anybody’s card was erroneously changed from BPL to APL during the revision, they can apply for a BPL card through the tahsildar,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.
Speaking to reporters after reviewing the progress of the Food and Civil Supplies Department for Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Manipal on Friday, Muniyappa explained that once ineligible BPL cardholders are moved to the Above Poverty Line (APL) category, a window will be opened for new applicants.
He said those who had been waiting for nearly two years to apply for BPL cards but could not do so because the window was closed (as too many BPL cards were reported in Karnataka) will finally get the opportunity once the revision process ends.
The minister further urged ineligible cardholders to voluntarily surrender their BPL cards and obtain APL cards, ensuring genuine beneficiaries can avail the scheme.
Muniyappa said that 7.70 lakh ration cards in the state were flagged as ineligible to hold BPL cards as per the Union government’s recent survey of rightful targeting of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Those cardholders will be shifted from the BPL to the APL category as per the direction of the Union government, added the report.
He attributed the unusually high number of BPL cards in Karnataka to successive governments issuing them without proper assessment. “States like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala do not have more than 50% BPL card holders as per an assessment. But this crossed 75% in Karnataka,” he said.
“Notwithstanding a developed state, Karnataka has 1.28 crore BPL and Antyodaya card holders. So the revision of the authenticity of BPL cards was needed,” the minister added.
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Maoist carrying bounty of Rs 15 lakh among four killed in gunfight with security forces in J’khand
Hazaribag (PTI): Four Maoists, including one carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district on Friday, police officials said.
The encounter took place in the Khapia forest area within the Keredari police station limits, following a tip-off.
"Four Maoists were killed in a gunfight with joint forces in 'Operation KotiNeer'. The Maoists killed have been identified as regional committee member Sahdeo Maho, carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh, Ranjit Ganjhu, Zonal committee member, carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh," IG, CRPF, Saket Kumar Singh told mediapersons.
The remaining two are Area Commander Budhan Karmali, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh and sub-zonal committee member Natasha, a woman who hailed from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
SDPO of Barkagaon, Pawan Kumar, said that no security personnel were injured in the operation.
The Maoists killed were wanted in about 80 cases.
With the encounter, only 57 Maoists are left in the state, the IG said.
A number of arms were also recovered during the operation including two AK 47 and one INSAS rifles.
The development comes close on the heels of a fierce exchange of fire between a Maoist squad headed by Misir Besra, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore, and police personnel on April 15 in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum. Four security personnel were injured in the encounter.
The Centre has already informed the state governments that there are no Naxal violence-affected districts in the country, more than five decades since Left Wing Extremism (LWE) originated in India.
The declaration followed a high-level security review held earlier this month by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the mandated 'National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism' formulated in 2015.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on March 30 that India was free from Maoists.
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