New Delhi, November 24: The issue of distribution of ration cards to BPL families today saw some Lok Sabha members demanding universal implementation of the scheme even as the government maintained that it was following old survey figures to cover more people.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar said there were reports of bogus ration cards being issued.
Pawar said the Centre had asked state governments to check issue of bogus cards and more than 1.5 crore bogus cards had been found. The minister said there was need to stop this practice as substantial subsidy was given under PDS scheme.
He maintained that as per a decision taken 10 years ago, the government was using the 1993-94 survey figures as per which 36 per cent of the population was Below Poverty Line (BPL). As per this survey, 6.
–PTI