NHRC for linking NREGS with BPL-Anthyodaya Card holders

New Delhi, May 22 (UNI) Emphasising that identification process of eligible persons for issue of BPL and Anthyodaya Cards be transparent, NHRC chairperson S Rajendra Babu today called for evolving a system to provide a link between the cardholders and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

''Only the deserving persons should be given the benefits of these cards,'' Justice Babu said at an open court held by the NHRC on the problem of food scarcity in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.

The NHRC Chairperson underlined the need to strengthen the Public Distribution System in Uttar Pradesh and said NREGS should be implemented in a more effective and transparent manner in the State.

The open court was held after the Commission undertook an investigation into the reports of down playing of agrarian crises in Uttar Pradesh after taking suo-motu cognizance of a newsreport.

A nine-member team of the Investigation Division of the Commission headed by SSP Mukesh Singh visited seven districts of Bundelkhand region.

The Open court was attended by the Food Commissioner Deepak Trivedi, Joint Food Commissioner Vinod Kumar Rai, ADMs of all the seven districts of Bundelkhand and two NGOs from the region.

Mr Trivedi informed the Commission that a fresh survey for identification of people eligible for BPL and Anthyodaya Cards in Bundelkhand was in progress and the final list was likely to be prepared by May 31.

He stressed that after disposal of objections the list would be finalised within a month. He also informed the Commission that an exercise for identification of bogus cardholders had been undertaken and 29,000 bogus card holders were identified.

The State government would provide relief to the affected people, he added The Commission was told that about 6 lakh people in Bundelkhand region had been issued BPL and Anthyodaya cards.

After hearing the State government officials, the Commission said the case would be taken up for hearing again on July 10, 2008 when the representatives of the UP government would come up with a comprehensive scheme.

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