Shah Tawqeer-ul-Islam
Srinagar, June 16(KNB): Large number of ration card holders across the Kashmir valley have accused authorities of Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs(FCS&CA) of depriving them of the benefits and schemes of the ration cards as they have been provided APL ration cards inspite of BPL and AAY.
Many BPL and AAY deserving ration card holders across valley have alleged that inspite of providing them the beneficial ration cards, authorities have provided them above poverty Line(APL) ration cards hence depriving them of all the schemes and benefits of the government, however, the ones who deserve APL cards have been provided with BPL ration cards.
The beneficiaries alleged that despite complaining many times authorities don’t pay heed to their plight and are constantly being deprived of their basic rights which are given to the above classes of society, which is a complete injustice for them.
“I belong to the lowest class of society and the whole livelihood of family depends upon my labour day, we barely earn Rs.300 a day which is not sufficient for my family to live or even buy food for my children, Govt earlier had announced AAY ration cards with schemes as that of free ration for us, but nothing is happening like this as I have been provided with APL card and the one who actually deserve the Above poverty Line cards are provided with beneficial ration cards.” told Mohammad Ramzan to News agency Kashmir News Bureau
Pertinently, On basis of economy status Government categorically provide ration cards among three classes of society as Above Poverty Line, (APL) ration cards that were issued to households living above the poverty line (as estimated by the Planning Commission), Below Poverty Line(BPL) ration cards that were issued to households living below the poverty line, and Antyodaya (AAY) ration cards that were issued to “poorest of poor” households.
“Despite, I belong to the middle class of society, Authorities provided me with APL ration cards which is a complete injustice for us, I don’t know why the government makes such promises, if they are not about to make it work on the ground level.” another BPL ration card holder said.
When Kashmir News Bureau contacted Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Bashir Khan he said, “The issuance of AAY, BPL and APL cards is all up to the District Development Commissioner where one of our member is also the part of this committee, we will talk to the concerned DDC’s regarding the said issue and the matter will be solved soon.”(KNB)