17 hours ago
Officials told to spread awareness about ‘doorstep ration delivery for elderly'
Pushpa Amarnath, Vice-Chairperson, Karnataka State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee, said on Wednesday that provisions are in place for doorstep delivery of ration to cardholders aged 80 years and above and instructed Gram Panchayats to create awareness and ensure that eligible beneficiaries avail themselves of the facility.
Speaking at the guarantee schemes' progress review meeting in Pandavapura, Ms. Amarnath addressed concerns related to the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. She noted that benefits to 1,422 women in the district had been withheld after being mistakenly flagged as Income Tax (IT) or GST payers. 'If it is confirmed that these beneficiaries are not actual taxpayers, the issue will be taken up at the State level and resolved, ensuring 100% implementation,' she said.
Elaborating on the State government's commitment to food security, she said, 'No poor person should suffer from hunger under any circumstances. It is with this vision that the government has given top priority to the Anna Bhagya scheme.'
She stressed that fair price shops must maintain both quantity and quality in food distribution and instructed officials to carry out surprise inspections to ensure compliance. 'No poor family should be denied government benefits,' Ms. Amarnath said.
Deputy Commissioner Kumar said both rice and ragi are being supplied as part of the ration distribution and assured that the process will be completed within the next two days.
A PAN card is not mandatory to open a bank account, he clarified. 'Necessary directions will be issued after consulting lead bank officials,' he added.
Referring to 1,422 women flagged under Gruha Lakshmi, Zilla Panchayat CEO K.R. Nandini said that confirmation has been received from the GST and Income Tax departments that these women are not taxpayers.
Committee member Rudrappa pointed out that linking PAN and Aadhaar during bank transactions is leading to incorrect classification of individuals as taxpayers, which needs to be addressed.
During her visit, Ms. Amarnath met Jayalakshmamma, a vendor who sells flowers, fruits, and pooja items at the Pandavapura Railway Station with the help of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. Ms. Jayalakshmamma said, 'The Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes have been helpful for me. I am able to save ₹100 to ₹150 daily, thanks to the Shakti scheme. I sincerely thank the State government for the support.'
The Vice-Chairperson felicitated Ms. Jayalakshmamma with a garland and congratulated her.
