Orissa to rethink subsidised rice for APL families

The Hindu, 15th July, 2008

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Under attack for its decision to include Above Poverty Line (APL) families living in KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) region as beneficiaries of the rice at Rs 2 per kg scheme for the poor, the Orissa government today said it would rethink the matter.
"The government will evolve a strategy to exclude rich families from the list of beneficiaries of the rupee two per kg rice scheme," Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manmohan Samal told reporters after a marathon meeting of collectors.
He said the government was aware that some rich people in the KBK region could get the benefits meant for the poor.
"Since more than 80 per cent of families in the KBK region are poor, the government has decided to provide subsidised rice to all in the area for the time being till a strategy to exclude APL families is ready," Samal said.
The minister maintained that as the government was yet to finalise the BPL list, it decided to include APL families identified according to a BPL survey made in 1997.
The BPL survey made in 2002, however, showed that nearly 83 per cent of families in the KBK region live under the poverty line. The centre is yet to accept the 2002 survey.
Of more than 55 lakh families entitled to get subsidised rice, 5.5 lakh were APL families belonging to the KBK region.