In a major crackdown, the Food and Civil Supplies Department has taken strict action against more than 1,600 government employees in Belagavi district who were found holding Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards meant for poor families over the past three years. A total penalty of Rs. 1.39 crore has been recovered from the offenders.
Currently, the district has 14,71,803 ration card holders, including:
- 67,667 Antyodaya cards
- 10,72,692 BPL cards
- 3,30,455 APL (Above Poverty Line) cards
Out of these, 50,79,707 beneficiaries receive food grain distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
During an inspection in 2022, 1,316 government employees were identified as illegally holding BPL ration cards. Their cards were canceled, and a fine totaling Rs. 1.22 crore was imposed. In the fiscal year 2024-25, an additional 363 employees were found misusing BPL cards, leading to penalties of Rs. 17.10 lakh and cancellation of their cards.
So far, a total of 1,679 government employees have been caught, fined, and their ration cards converted from BPL to APL status.
Furthermore, in the ongoing 2025-26 financial year, the department has canceled 1,407 ineligible BPL cards and recovered Rs. 7.55 lakh in fines. Additionally, 932 beneficiaries voluntarily surrendered their ineligible BPL cards.
Based on data from the HRMS and Revenue Department, a total of 48,153 ineligible ration card holders have been identified, with a cumulative penalty of Rs. 1.75 crore recovered. Among these:
- 1,679 BPL cards belonging to government employees and
- 7,544 cards of higher-income families
have been converted into APL cards.
Moreover, the names of 13,938 deceased persons have been removed from the ration card database.
As per government norms, individuals are ineligible for BPL cards if they fall under any of the following categories:
- Annual income exceeding Rs. 1.2 lakh
- Owners of four-wheel vehicles
- Income tax payers
- Landowners with more than three acres
- Houses over 1,000 square feet in city limits
- Government or semi-government employees
The department has urged all ineligible BPL cardholders to voluntarily surrender their cards to ensure that benefits reach genuinely needy families. Strict action will continue against any future misuse of the scheme.