Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa on Wednesday announced that the government had decided to issue separate categories of BPL cards for those seeking subsidised ration and those who want cards only for the purpose of availing of medical facilities.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, the Minister observed that several families were keen to get BPL cards only for the purpose of availing of medical facilities and that they were not interested in getting free rice.
Following this, the government had decided to issue different categories of BPL cards depending upon their requirements, he said. This would not only reduce the total quantum of rice required under the Anna Bhagya scheme but also help in targeting the needy people.
He said his department would get a survey done to know how many eligible families would want the BPL cards only for the purpose of medical facilities.
Problem of linkage
Of the total 1.28 crore BPL card holders in the State, only 97.27 lakh were getting the benefit of cash transfer instead of rice. This was because 30.9 lakh card holders were either yet to link their Aadhaar or did not have bank accounts. A few of them were yet to change the name of the head of the family where the family heads had died, he explained. Hence the government decided to send a circular to all the deputy directors of the Food Department in the districts asking them to help such families complete the formalities.
