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Amid the chaos over the Karnataka government cancelling ration (below poverty line) cards, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa on Thursday assured that the BPL cards of families that remain eligible would not be cancelled.
This comes after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of BPL card cancellation, asking the Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies minister to resign. The Karnataka government is undertaking a BPL card revision process reviewing the eligibility of these ration card holders, hoping to retrieve ineligible cards. Speaking on this, Karnataka Minister Muniyappa said that only one or two per cent of BPL cards have been converted to Above Poverty Line (APL) cards. "Today we have decided (that there is) no question of cancelling (the BPL cards). Every card is eligible. They will get the rice after one week. We have got enough money to disburse for the DBT (direct bank transfer). There is no money-related problem. The only thing is that while we are doing this one or two per cent of BPL cards have been converted to APL (Above Poverty Line). That's why today we have decided, the honourable Chief Minister has taken a decision that all the (BPL) cards must be restored except for government employees and income tax payers," Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa told ANI. Reacting to BJP demanding his resignation over the issue, he said that BJP was an opposition party and it was their duty to ask (for resignation). "It is not required," the minister added. "We have decided to convert BPL cards belonging to tax payers and government employees. 4,036 government employee cards have been revised. 1,02,509 cards are being reviewed and 8,647 BPL cards have been cancelled," Muniyappa said. Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday lashed out at the BJP for "politicising the government's decision to review eligibility for Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders". Speaking to reporters, he said, "We are not taking anyone's food away. BJP has no other business than politicising. The percentage of BPL card holders in many constituencies is around 90%. My constituency has 90%, and Holenarasipura has 92% BPL card holders. Hence, we need to ensure that genuine and needy people get BPL cards. Some BPL cards have been cancelled after review." He was replying to the BJP's allegation that the government was robbing people of their food. (ANI)
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