JAMMU, Mar 5: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is contemplating criminal proceedings against those non-BPL households who have been fraudulently claiming BPL status and receiving subsidised food grains meant for below poverty line (BPL) families.
In case the fraud is found to have been committed by government employee, he/she may face suspension and cancellation of Ration Card and initiation of recovery proceedings.
This comes in the light of the Government having issued J&K Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2023 vide SO- 41 wherein specific actions have been stipulated against the non BPL households claiming BPL ration benefits.
Pertinently, J&K govt has launched a big exercise to scrutinize nearly 65 lakh beneficiaries under AAY and PHH (Below Poverty Line-BPL) category in Jammu & Kashmir and has asked the ration card holders under these categories to produce documentary evidence for the same before the respective Tehsil Supply Officers.
This step comes after official scrutiny has found that the number of BPL category people are much more than those falling in Non-Priority House Hold (NPHH), earlier APL category in the Jammu and Kashmir, despite a large percentage of the population falling under APL categories.
While the number of people falling in NPHH in J&K before creation of UT were nearly 45 lakhs and those PHH /BPL nearly 74 lakhs in Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. But at present, as per figures taken from the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, the number of AAY and PHH (BPL) beneficiaries in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions are nearly 65.52 lakhs.
After the implementation of Food Security Act in Jammu and Kashmir, the BPL and APL categories were redefined and exercise of preparing new ration cards was started.
However, it has come to light that some households have produced fraudulent documents so as to find place in PHH/AAY categories.
As per the Jammu and Kashmir Food Security Rules” vide SO No. 389 dated 16-11-2021 –
The households with one member as Tax payer will be excluded from these categories.
The businessmen with annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh and above; persons having handholding above 10 kanals in case of individuals and 20 kanals in case of joint family in urban areas, 30 kanals and 50 kanals in rural areas; all Gazetted officers or equivalent ranks in Corporations, Boards, PSUs etc; all persons holding Constitutional authority/ positions and any household having annual family income of more than 5 lakhs shall also be excluded from PHH/AAY categories and placed in NPHH category.
