From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 25: It is now the turn of the newly appointed Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister K Gopalaiah has announced that the Department is planning to provide home delivery of rations to 1.40 lac elderly people across the State.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the Minister said the Department in an attempt to make things easy for old age people, particularly living alone will ensure delivery of household ration at their door steps.

He said Food Inspectors in the city limits and Revenue Inspectors in rural areas would be given responsibility of delivering rations from PDS shops at the doorsteps of the aged people.

He said the process of delivery would commence in next few days.

It may be recalled that the previous Excise Minister H Nagesh had talked of plans to start home delivery of alcohol and had to beat a hasty retreat following a public outcry.

Gopalaiah said to crackdown fake or ineligible families holding BPL ration cards, a decision was taken to link all ration cards to Aadhaar cards.

A database of all cardholders would be generated through e-KYC (know your customer) and all officials have been directed to complete the process in one or two months.

The first time Minister Gopalaiah said 63,922 cardholders have surrendered their cards and 43,000 applied for above poverty line (APL) cards.

The Department has collected fine of Rs 94 lac by imposing fine on families having BPL cards illegally.

The Department would provide advertisements in newspapers and electronic media appealing families who were not eligible to hold BPL cards.

Currently, there are 1.15 crore BPL cards, 20.28 lac APL cards, and 10.94 lac Antyodaya cards.

He said ration cardholders can purchase their monthly quota from any PDS shops from anywhere in the State.

A cardholder of Kalaburagi can buy his or her quota of rations from PDS shop in Bengaluru, he said.