Agartala: Tripura has stepped up a statewide crackdown on people who have claimed fake ‘povery status’ and collected over Rs.10 million as fines from those who have illegally availed facilities earmarked for the poor, a minister said here on Tuesday.
Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manik Dey said: “The state government during the past few months, has cancelled bogus BPL (below poverty line) cards held by over 7,000 families. Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against these families.”
“Over Rs.10 million have been collected as fines from the fake BPL card holder families.” “Some government employees were even unlawfully holding BPL cards,” the minister told reporters.
Dey said the raid against the fake BPL card holders would continue.
He also said that all the 1,653 ration shops in the state would be checked for irregularities in the public distribution system.
According to Tripura government’s assessment, 68 percent of the state’s 3.7 million people fall in the below poverty line category, while the central government estimates the figure to be 40.6 percent.
The Tripura government, however, has disagreed with the central government’s criteria to determine the BPL percentage. (IANS)
