Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Nov 2: The cancellation of BPL ration cards of those who are not eligible in the category and collection of penalties is in progress in the taluk. The directions to cancel such cards were issued by the DK deputy commissioner. More than 450 BPL card holders voluntarily visited the food office of the Revenue Department, got their cards cancelled and paid fine.

450 ineligible ration cards found

Some BPL card holders are found to be getting facilities even though they are not eligible to possess the cards. While some have obtained the cards by providing false information, some were found to be ineligible after obtaining the cards. There are 85,528 ration card holders in Bantwal. As many as 22,809 among them hold APL cards and 62,719 hold BPL cards. A total of 450 cards among them are found to be possessed by people who are not eligible as per October 30.

The government had warned those who were ineligible to personally surrender their BPL cards without fine before September 3. The grace period was later extended up to October 15. Those who went later than that had to pay fine as per government orders. The department is now collecting fines.

Who are ineligible?

Those who are employed or have family members employed in government or semi government organisations, those who are paying income tax, those who are not staying in the address mentioned on the ration cards, those who are having more than one ration card in the house, those who have not removed the name of deceased in the family from the cards, those owning more than 3 hectares land in rural areas, those owning more than 1,000 square feet house in the city, all the families having four wheelers except those who run them to earn their livelihood and those with annual income exceeding Rs 1.20 lac per year are ineligible to have BPL ration cards and liable to pay fine if they have one.

How to pay fine?

Those not eligible to possess BPL cards have to personally visit the food office of the Revenue Department, functioning at Bantwal Mini Vidhan Soudha and inform the date when they received the BPL card and started getting government facilities. The fine imposed has to be deposited to the government bank account. The highest fine so far was Rs 20 thousand imposed on a family, informed the department.

Notice to be sent home

Investigations on those holding BPL and Anthyodaya ration cards are in progress. If the families who are not eligible to possess BPL cards do not cancel them on their own, the department has warned of suitable action taken against the concerned under Essential Commodities Act 1955. If the cards are not cancelled despite warning, a notice will be sent to the houses directly from the office of the deputy commissioner. Details are already obtained from DC office, RTO, Mescom and other offices and notices are likely to be released soon.