KINS Correspondent
Anantnag, June 25(KINS): Dozens of families in Gawran village of Kokernag belt in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district have been holding APL ration cards despite being poor.
Families have alleged that many people in the area who are living above the poverty line but have been categorised in BPL list by officers a few years before.
They said, “We are living a life below the poverty line but have been categorised into the APL list and are being deprived of everything.”
“Despite being poor and had to feed large families, we are not provided any relief by the government. We have approached concerned authorities several times but to no avail despite,” a local said.
Bashir Ahmad Batana is one of the head of the affected family who is not physically well because he is having stitches in his leg. He said, “How can I afford to buy food (ration) from APL ration card? I need money for my medicines and it is very difficult for me to feed my family”.
They have requested concerned authorities to look into the matter at an earliest so that they can heave a sigh of relief.
SDM Kokernag Owais Mushtaq told KINS that ration cards were issued on the basis of a survey in year 2015-16 by Food civil supplies and consumer Affairs Department.
He admitted that many poor families have been categorized as APL as there are clear cut directions from authorities to keep 65 percent of families in priority list and rest in non-priority. “Maybe in these areas those 65 percent who have been kept in BPL category are poorer than these families.”
He said that if these families deserve, they will be included in the list.(KINS)
