Only 20% BPL beneficiaries genuine in Himachal: Survey
Several undeserving families found on the list
Serious irregularities have surfaced in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiary list in the state, with a recent verification survey revealing that only 15 to 20 per cent are genuine beneficiaries in majority blocks.
For the first time the guidelines for the selection of BPL/IRDP have been implemented strictly.
As per the Government of India’s guidelines based on the Tendulkar Committee Report 2011, a person having 2 hectares of non-irrigated and 1 hectare of irrigated land, a two-wheeler/four-wheeler and an annual income above Rs 30,000, or having government job or owns a concrete house cannot be included in the BPL and IRDP categories. However, the Himachal Pradesh government has enhanced the income criterion to Rs 50,000.
There were many beneficiaries, who do not meet the laid-down criteria, but were availing of the government schemes meant for the BPL families. In 2022, after The Tribune highlighted the issue over 200 people voluntarily surrendered their BPL cards and deposited money for benefits taken by them in the state exchequer. At that time, the Assembly elections were round the corner and the government failed to act in a majority of cases and did not revise the lists under the BPL, IRDP and Antyodaya categories.
After a fresh verification by three-member committees constituted in every block, the number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families came down drastically. In Baijnath Development Block, the number of BPL families has come down to 1,142 from 4,298. Baijnath SDM Sankalap Gautam says the new list of BPL families has been prepared as per the revised guidelines issued by the state government. The list was finalised after a door-to-door verification by the selection committee. Following the implementation of new eligibility criteria and strict scrutiny, the list in the Baijnath block now contains 571 Scheduled Caste, 164 Schedule Tribe and 426 families from the General category. Likewise, earlier in the Lambagaon Block 3,970 families were categorised as BPL. However, the number has come down to 500 following the implementation of new eligibility criteria.
Talking to The Tribune, a senior officer of the state government said the survey found that several families with stable income, government jobs, vehicles, pucca houses and even Income Tax records had managed to get their names included in the BPL list, depriving genuinely poor of the benefits under PM Aawas Yojana, subsidised ration, health cover and other social welfare schemes.
Political influence, lack of proper verification in earlier surveys and weak monitoring mechanisms allowed ineligible families to figure in the BPL list for years. As a result, the scheme, meant for the poorest sections of society, gradually lost its effectiveness.
“On an average, 20 per cent of the existing BPL beneficiaries were found eligible. The rest have either improved their economic status or were wrongly included earlier,” said a Block Development Officer associated with the survey.
