Huge rush was witnessed at the Public Service Management centres in the city as thousands of people turned up to submit applications for the BPl cards as well as Sambal Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
More than 80 per cent of the applications were for BPl cards.
Chaos prevailed at most of the centers as many of the applicants were not eligible for BPl cards and the officials at the center had a tough time convincing them about this fact.
Five operators were specifically appointed to handle the BPl applicants.
Neither the department nor the District Administration had made any adequate arrangements to handle the situation which led to protest by the applicants.
To make matters worse there were no proper arrangements, like extra counters, drinking water or sheds to enable the people waiting in long queue for their turn to submit the applications.
Police personnel from the nearby police stations were also positioned in the centers to handle the crowd.
More than 10000 applications were received at the five PSM centers in the city during the past one month, out of which 7000 applications were rejected.
The rejected applicants continue to throng the centers, including the A Grade lokSeva Guarantee Yojaan center at Gorkhi to reapply, and this is creating a huge rush and chaos.
According to sources the number of people applying for BPl ration cards has gone up many times over in the recent past as a BPl card holder is eligible to avail benefits of different government-run schemes and projects including grains through the fair price shops and ‘Right to Education’. Besides these, a BPl card holder, who does not own a houseis also entitled to get one under various schemes of the state and central governments.
The PSM centers receive applications for more than 400 services of the state and the center governments and the rush for the BPl cards is affecting those services too.
Speaking to the media persons, Amit Shiromoni, Manager, lok Seva Guarantee Yojana, Gwalior said that the number of applicants for the BPl cards has increased unprecedentedly in the past one month.
He added that more than 70 per cent of the applicants are not eligible for the card and convincing them about this is becoming a tough task.
He also said that currently there is no system to stop them from applying again.