Congress questions criteria for BPL selection

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 23

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar today said the endeavour of the state government is to make Himachal the first state in the country where everybody has been brought above the poverty line.

Replying to a calling attention motion moved in the Vidhan Sabha under Rule 62 by Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri and Ashish Butail, Kanwar said it was certainly not the intention of the government to deny any person the benefits under the BPL category. “We have not said that we will exclude one lakh names from the BPL list but said that we will bring one lakh families above the poverty line by giving them benefits like a house and gas connection under various welfare schemes,” he said.

Kanwar said the criteria for selection of families entitled for BPL benefits were as per the Government of India guidelines. “The BPL list is reviewed from time to time as names are included and excluded depending upon the income and other criteria,” he said. He fully justified the exclusion of names of families who over a period of time had become economical strong. They were owning a house and had a four wheeler vehicle.

The minister said the Centre had fixed quota of 2,82,370 BPL families for Himachal and the eligible families should get BPL benefits. He urged the Opposition to look at the move positively rather than being critical of it since it was aimed at poverty alleviation.

“Himachal is a state with very high literacy rate and we want to herald economic prosperity so that everyone has all the facilities,” he said. He said in April 2008, 15,659 BPL families were excluded and 15,331 added, in April 2011, 31,209 were excluded and 30,830 included, in 2013, 31,311 excluded and 30,970 added and in April 2018, 38,690 excluded and 32,552 included.

Butail also demanded review of the BPL list.