The State government will shortly issue orders to grant ration to construction and other labourers who don’t have BPL or APL cards, said Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Friday.
During a review meeting on COVID-19 relief works, eight MLAs and MLC Ivan D'Souza pointed to problems faced by workmen. “While some contractors have provided ration, others have left their workmen high and dry. They need to be given ration,” said Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja.
Mangaluru city south MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath and Mangaluru MLA U.T. Khader said BPL cardholders, who have not taken ration for the last three months, have been sent back without ration. Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian said the Labour Department was not making efforts to collect information about the number of labourers in the unorganised sector who are not getting ration.
Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik U. said he initiated a survey by taluk administration to find 2,000 stranded labourers who are without BPL or APL cards.
Mr. Poojary said the government will get the data of non-BPL/APL card holders in the district and pass necessary orders to provide them ration. Around 13,000 food packets were being provided everyday from Kadri Manjunatha and other A grade temples in the district, he said.
Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Rupesh said permission has been given for vented dam and other development works in the district.
Dakshina Kannada MP and State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer R. Selvamani and Superintendent of Police B. M. Laxmi Prasad were present.
