After finding it difficult to identify the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families who are eligible to get food grains through Public Distribution System, the state government has decided to list out 15 criteria under which families cannot apply for BPL cards.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister D N Jeevaraj said that according to the new criteria, the ceiling of income of family which was earlier fixed to `17,000 and `12,000 for those living in urban and rural areas respectively has been removed.
“After the removal of over 32.5 lakh cards as many as 1.38 crore families are in the list of BPL families in the state,” said Jeervaraj.
According to him, Department of Food and Civil supplies has received over 32 lakh fresh applications for the issue of BPL cards but only 15 lakhs families were eligible for the cards.
Jeevaraj said that the officials had sent SMS to fresh applicants to upload their photos and provide biometric prints and only 2 lakh applicants had responded so far.