BAGALKOT: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the State Government will withdraw the Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards of only ineligible persons, and there will be no impact on eligible cardholders.
Speaking to the media in Bagalkot before taking part in a Cooperative Week celebration programme, the CM regretted that misinformation was being circulated on the issue. “Our focus is solely on weeding out ineligible BPL cardholders. The Food and Civil Supplies Department is looking into it. No final decision has been taken yet. It is simple... do not give BPL cards to those ineligible, but ensure that those deserving are not deprived of it,” Siddaramaiah added. The CM further questioned whether BPL cards should be provided to those who pay taxes and to government employees.
On Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka claiming that the Lokayukta probe has cleared the previous BJP government from 40% commission charges, the CM said, “Releasing accused individuals due to lack of evidence does not mean no wrongdoing happened. Evidence and witness testimony are crucial in such cases,” the CM said.
On the BJP challenging him to prove his allegation that Rs 50 crore bribe was offered to 50 Congress MLAs to topple his government, the CM said, “Efforts were made... but it failed. BJP tried Operation Kamala, but it did not succeed.”
Centre has deprived state of nabard aid: CM Siddaramaiah
Stating that the Cooperative sector is meant only for state governments and not for Centre as there is no provision for Centre to have a Cooperative Ministry, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that despite that, the NDA government at the Centre constituted a Cooperative Ministry and made Amit Shah the in-charge minister. Speaking after inaugurating the 71st Cooperative Week programme on Sunday, the CM said that NABARD, which comes under the Union Government, is supposed to help the cooperative sector by lending loans. “But last year, the NABARD released a loan of Rs 5,600 crore... but this year it was only Rs 2,340 crore, which is 58% less,” Siddaramaiah said.
The CM said he has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman not to “cheat” farmers by reducing the loan amount.