Govt flips own script for BPL classification

Ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections, Haryana had nearly 70% of its population classified as Below Poverty Line (BPL) as around two crore of the state’s 2.8 crore population were bracketed as BPL.

However, the government now appears to have been on a reversal course, which is seen as an attempt to ease the financial strain. The authorities have begun physical verification and inspection of families listed as BPL, which has brought down the number to 1.82 crore—removing about 18 lakh people from the list in just seven months.

Furthermore, the government's decision to raise the price of mustard oil from Rs 40 for 2 litres to Rs 100 under the public distribution system (PDS) has also raised concerns. Since BPL families receive subsidised ration and essentials like oil through PDS, this hike has triggered a backlash across the state.

The All Ration Depot Holder Welfare Association has raised concerns, calling the hike in mustard oil prices an unfair burden on consumers and depot holders. Dr Jitender Prasad, sociologist, sees politics in the move. “This is not the right way to address poverty. With price hikes like this, economic hardship is becoming more pronounced,” he said.

The BPL population had surged when the income limit for BPL classification was revised from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh per annum some years ago. Many saw this as a politically motivated move to widen access of people to welfare schemes. Now, the state appears to be reversing that policy.

Government officials defended the verification drive claiming it aims to correct inflated BPL numbers caused by loopholes.

In Jhajjar, a large-scale fraud involving the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) came to light. Around 12,600 couples reportedly submitted fake divorce papers to manipulate income records and qualify for BPL benefits. By generating two separate family IDs, couples halved their declared income to meet the Rs 1.80 lakh threshold.

The verification process has also drawn criticism, as genuine beneficiaries claim their names are being removed from the BPL list despite meeting criteria. Several such cases have been reported in Sirsa district.

The Citizen Resources Information Department (CRID), which uses PPP data for BPL classification, has come under scrutiny for misuse of the system as several of its employees are facing criminal cases in Jhajjar in the fraud BPL case.

Currently, BPL families receive 5 kg grain per person free of cost, 2 litres of mustard oil (Rs 100) and 1 kg sugar at Rs 13.5 per card. Other benefits include housing plots and pension schemes.

Given the generous benefits, ease of manipulating PPP data, and shifting policies, questions remain: Was the expansion of the BPL list a genuine welfare effort, or a political strategy ahead of elections?