The new system introduced by the Food and Civil Supplies Department to apply for below poverty line (BPL) cards only through online application may have won appreciation as a move to simplify procedures, but grassroots realities prove otherwise as a debate in the Assembly showed.
There was an interesting discussion on Thursday between Food Minister U.T. Khader and two MLAs, underlining the gap between grand schemes and ground realities. Excerpts from the debate:
“Now getting BPL cards is easy as applications can be made online,” said Mr. Khader.
“ But the poor in my backward constituency are computer illiterate and have no access to internet,” said Bagepalli MLA Subba Reddy.
“Let them go to village panchayat offices and request officials to make the application on their behalf,” said Mr. Khader.
“But there is severe shortage of staff in village panchayat offices and connectivity is poor there too,” replied Mr. Subba Reddy.
“In my constituency, most villages are in forest areas where internet connection is out of the question. Even our village panchayat offices have no internet and power supply is irregular. How do you think they can apply online?” said H.D. Kote MLA Shivamadu.
“ These issues should be taken up with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. As Food Minister, I have provided facility to get BPL cards at the click of a mouse,” Mr. Khader.
The MLAs concluded the discussion still clueless on how the move really helps the poor.
