Siddaramaiah reinstates ration cards for poor amid ongoing BPL card controversy

In response to widespread concerns, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday instructed the Food Department officials not to cancel the ration cards of poor families. This order follows the controversy surrounding reports that over 22.6 lakh Below the Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders were found to be ineligible.
The Karnataka government had carried out a survey of BPL cardholders in August 2024, which identified 22.63 lakh individuals as ineligible for BPL status. The government had initially considered cancelling these cards, raising fears among many families who rely on the benefits provided under welfare schemes.
The Chief Minister’s Office issued a statement clarifying that the ration cards of any families, except those of government employees and income tax payers, should not be cancelled. He further warned that action would be taken against Food Department officials if any ration cards were unjustly revoked. “If the ration cards of poor families are cancelled without reason, they should be reinstated immediately,” the statement said.
The controversy also surrounds the potential withdrawal of key government benefits for BPL families, including the monthly 10 kg food grain allocation under the Anna Bhagya scheme, and Rs 2,000 monthly support under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme for women heads of BPL families. With these benefits potentially at risk, many families expressed fear that their livelihoods could be severely affected.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka’s Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister KH Muniyappa addressed the issue, explaining that the BPL list needed to be revised to reflect accurate data. Muniyappa pointed out that many families in Karnataka, a state with a strong tax revenue base, should not be receiving BPL benefits. “In Karnataka, which is the second-largest tax revenue generating state after Maharashtra, it is not feasible for 75 to 80 percent of people to be BPL cardholders,” he said.
Muniyappa clarified that the cards would not be entirely cancelled but would be converted from BPL to Above Poverty Line (APL) cards. According to the government’s criteria, those employed in government jobs, those paying income taxes, or those whose annual income exceeds Rs 1.2 lakh, would be considered ineligible for BPL cards.
This announcement, however, sparked outrage among opposition leaders, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition accused the Congress government of alienating the poor and creating unnecessary hardship for families already struggling to make ends meet. BJP leaders, including R Ashoka, C N Ashwath Narayan, and K Gopalaiah, staged a demonstration in Bengaluru, visiting the homes of affected BPL families and protesting the move.
A BPL cardholder from Bengaluru shared her distress, revealing that she learned her ration card had been cancelled when she visited a government-run ration shop. The woman, who has a newborn daughter, expressed her concern that she would no longer be able to access government welfare programs meant for girl children, which could jeopardise her daughter’s education and future. Similar reports of distress were received from across the state, where many families from the economically weaker sections voiced their shock and dismay at the government’s decision.