After finding it difficult to identify the Below Poverty Line (BPL)
families who are eligible to get food grains through Public Distribution
System, the state government has decided to list out 15 criteria under
which families cannot apply for BPL cards.

Addressing reporters
here on Thursday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister D N Jeevaraj said
that according to the new criteria, the ceiling of income of family
which was earlier fixed to `17,000 and `12,000 for those living in urban
and rural areas respectively has been removed.

“After the removal
of over 32.5 lakh cards as many as 1.38 crore families are in the list
of BPL families in the state,” said Jeervaraj.According to him,
Department of Food and Civil supplies has received over 32 lakh fresh
applications for the issue of BPL cards but only 15 lakhs families were
eligible for the cards.

Jeevaraj said that the officials had sent
SMS to fresh applicants to upload their photos and provide biometric
prints and only 2 lakh applicants had responded so far.