Made BPL card scheme more transparent, simpler: Nayab Saini

Chandigarh, Aug 26 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday rubbished the opposition's claim of irregularity in issuing the Below-Poverty Line, or BPL, cards, saying his government only made the process more transparent and simpler.

His response came to Congress MLA Shishpal Keharwala's allegation that more people were moved out from the BPL category than added, all in a short span of time.

Keharwala, who raised the matter in Question Hour in the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Haryana Assembly, demanded action against officials if this was their fault.

The lawmaker had sought to know the number of new BPL cards issued and discontinued between January 1, 2024 and July 31, 2025, in the state, and the reason for cancellation.

He had also sought to know the total number of BPL cards in Haryana as on March 31, 2025 and the number of BPL cards at present.

In response, the government informed the House that 8,73,507 families were added to, and 9,68,506 families were moved out of the BPL category during the period.

Families with an annual income of more than Rs 1.80 lakh become ineligible for BPL benefits as per government instructions, the Assembly was informed.

The total number of families in the BPL category as on March 31, 2025, was 52,37,671.

The number of families in the BPL category as of August 22, 2025, is 41,93,669, the government informed the House.

Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that the BPL beneficiaries are identified on the basis of annual family income recorded in the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) database by the Haryana Parivar Pehchan Authority.

Saini said that when the opposition raised objections over BPL cards not being issued to poor families, the state government opened the portal for automatic verification, which allows any family to submit their income details.

He also clarified that the income details for BPL card-holders are automatically linked with the portal.

The officers verify the data, and if a family's income is found to be higher than the eligibility limit, the card is automatically cancelled, the CM said. PTI SUN VN VN