Poor Families Wrongly Excluded from BPL Benefits

Daily Wage Workers Face Crisis Due to Documentation Errors

In the village of Bahbalpur, Hisar, several families are facing a difficult situation. Their government-issued family identity cards, known as Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), show much higher incomes than they actually earn. This error is preventing them from receiving essential government benefits meant for people living below the poverty line (BPL). 

Take the case of Shish Pal, a 60-year-old daily wage worker who can no longer work due to illness. His PPP shows he earns Rs 3 lakh per year, but the reality is very different. "If I could earn even Rs 1 lakh per year, I would be very happy," says the bedridden worker, whose son is learning to be an electrician to support their family of three.

Wrong Electricity Bill Leads to Benefits Cancellation

Another villager, Suresh Kumar, lost his BPL status due to an incorrect electricity bill. Despite owning a small piece of land that barely produces enough food for his family of four, his name was removed from the BPL list when a mistaken electricity bill of Rs 14,000 appeared in his records. Even after getting the bill corrected, he hasn't been able to get back on the BPL list. 

Government Response and Available Solutions

The Haryana government has tried to address these issues by organizing special camps called 'Samadhan Shivirs'. According to official statements, they have resolved 91% of the PPP-related complaints. However, Additional Deputy Commissioner C Jayasharadha says that currently, people can only file complaints at Common Service Centres (CSC), as no special camps are being organized. 

The Bigger Picture

While genuine poor families struggle to get benefits, government data shows that about 70% of Haryana's population is classified as BPL. This suggests that while some truly needy people are being left out, others might be underreporting their income to get benefits they don't qualify for.

Former zila parishad member Krishan Satrod points out that many needy families are being excluded due to official errors. Those affected, like Ajit Balmiki from Satrod village, are willing to undergo any verification process to prove their eligibility for BPL benefits.