Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi, Sept.14: People holding BPL cards without eligibility will soon be caught and penalized.
District supply officer (DSO) Albert Bilung gave indication to this effect saying earlier thousands of BPL cards were cancelled and such action is required to ensure that only a deserving beneficiary gets benefitted.
Talking about penal provision he said apart from cancellation of cards, market price of food grain withdrawn through the public distribution system since the generation of the card will be collected from earring cardholders. Apart from this, 12 percent additional charge of the total price will be levied as a fine.
Bilung said before the administrative action sufficient time will be given to cardholders to surrender their cards.
“Time of 15 days will be given to undeserving cardholders to surrender the card voluntarily and then the process of sending notice will be started under Food Security Act for proper penal action. After issuance of a notice, seven days’ time will be given to deposit the penal amount in the treasury, failing which, an FIR will be registered against the erring cardholders. As the crime is nonbailable, the cardholders will be in trouble,” Bilung said.
There are as many as 399981 pink (PH) cardholders, 103882 Antyodaya (AAY) cardholders, and 25827 green cardholders in the district. The administration has come to know that there are several who despite having good sources of earning hold BPL cards.
PH cardholders are entitled to get 5 kg per unit foodgrains on subsidized cost besides getting health insurance benefit under Ayushmaan Bharat and pension benefit while AAY cardholders, who are poorest among the poor, are entitled to get 35 kg of food grain irrespective of units besides insurance and pension cover. Green cardholders are entitled to get 5kg food grains irrespective of the unit.
