Session snippets

Bengaluru: The government is considering a revision of the annual income ceiling for BPL cards, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad told the Assembly on Monday.“The annual income ceiling for BPL cards is currently Rs 1.20 lakh. The issue of revising the income eligibility limit has wider implications and requires detailed consultations with all stakeholders. This matter is under consideration. I will also take up the issue with the CM and initiate necessary steps to ensure that no deserving beneficiary is denied their rightful benefits,” Arshad said. He was replying to a question by Bangarpet MLA SN Narayanaswamy.“The department has also been instructed to reassess the cancelled BPL cards to ensure that genuine beneficiaries are not deprived of their entitlements and to identify duplicate cards, ineligible beneficiaries and other irregularities,” Arshad added.Karnataka Assembly, Council pass Supplementary estimates of Rs 7,043 croreGovt to spend Rs 3k to repair each water unit: KhandreThe government will spend Rs 3,000 on the repair of each drinking water unit established in rural areas to ensure the supply of clean drinking water, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre told the Assembly on Monday.Replying to a question by Anekal MLA B Shivanna, Khandre said 20,340 pure drinking water units had been set up across the state. Of these, 17,208 are operational, while 602 have ceased functioning and 2,530 require repairs, he said.Khandre said non-functional drinking water units would be repaired using grants available with the respective gram panchayats. If a panchayat does not have sufficient funds, the department will provide the required grant, he said.The state has allocated Rs 29.50 crore for repairing drinking water units, of which Rs 13 crore has been released, Khandre said.

Source: Deccan Herald