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Delhi Govt out to woo BPL card holders
Delhi government on Wednesday decided to give them 6 kg of pulses every month in addition to mustard and vegetable oil, reports Amitabh Shukla.
In a bid to woo the 4.53 lakh families holding the Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards before the municipal election in the city, the Delhi government on Wednesday decided to give them 6 kg of pulses every month in addition to mustard and vegetable oil.
"The decision was taken to check the vagaries of price rise and inflation on the marginal sections of society," Civil Supplies Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan told reporters on Wednesday. This is the first time in the city that pulses and oils would be subsidised and given to the card holders. Three varieties of pulses (2 kg each) would be given to the BPL families.
The pulses and oils would be subsidised heavily. The pulses could be subsidised to the tune of 50 per cent. "We are preparing a Cabinet note in which the subsidy formula — either 25 or 50 per cent would be worked out," said the minister. The amount of subsidy would also be specified in the Cabinet note. Chauhan said the decision would be implemented after the approval of the Cabinet in the next few days.
With the new largesse, the benefits to those holding the BPL cards have increased significantly. They now get 25 kg of wheat per month at a price of Rs 6.80, 10 kg of rice per month at a price of Rs 6.15 and 1170 gram sugar per member at Rs 13.50 per kg. They also get 22 litres of kerosene oil per month.
The card holders under the Annapurna scheme, get 10 kg wheat per month free of cost. Those under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana get 25 kg wheat at a price of Rs 2 per kg per month and 10 kg rice at a rate of Rs 3 per kg.
Apart from the 4.53 lakh cards (benefiting a population of around 20 lakhs), there are an additional 49 thousand Above Poverty Line (APL) card holders who live in slum clusters and can take benefit from the scheme of the government.
The central government, however, has put the ceiling of 4.53 lakhs on BPL card holders and the state government cannot increase this.
Email Amitabh Shukla: ashukla@hindustantimes.com
