Minister does U-turn on BPL cards, says no definite BPL parameters exist

A day after his statement onBelow Poverty Line ration card holders sparked a row,Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti onTuesday did a U-turn, saying there were no definite parametersfor BPL and APL card holders over availing benefits.

The minister emphasised that the BJP government inKarnataka headed by B S Yediyurappa was pro-poor and wascommitted to distributing more BPL cards.

It will continue to give free foodgrains such as Ragi,corn and rice, he added.

Having come under attack from the Congress and theJD(S), Katti told reporters here there were no definiteparameters for BPL and APL (Above Poverty Line) and there wasno need for anyone to worry as the government has not issuedany statement in this regard.

Retracting from his previous statement, the ministersaid, ''I had only shared the information from Delhi withmedia. Neither those parameters (motorcycle, TV, fridge andland) were mine, nor the Chief Minister has given any suchorders.I am not an irresponsible minister.'' However,he did not elaborate.

Stating that his statement did not pertain to the BPLcard holders, he said further confusion on the matter wasuncalled for.

He said there were no definite parameters to identifythe BPL families, Katti said ''I have not issued any orderwithout consulting the Chief Minister.BPLs are BPLs and APLsare APLs.'' Katti had on Monday said in Belagavi that those owningcomponents such as motorcycle, TV, fridge and five acres ofland are not entitled to hold a BPL card and they have tosurrender them to the government by March 31, or else thegovernment will take action.

The opposition Congress and the JD(S) had come downheavily on Katti and the BJP government calling it anti-poorand anti-people.