Some of the BPl families of Kirtingi village under Budura Panchayat of Kasinager block in Gajapati district alleged that officials have been demanding Rs 1,000 as bribe from them for providing a BPl ration card.
The villagers said the sarpanch, samiti member and concerned officials are demanding Rs 1,000 for a BPl card and those who can’t fulfil, they are not issuing the card in their favour.
They also alleged that despite the Government’s instruction of proper identification and distribution of BPl card, still they are issuing the card to those people who are paying money and in this way many of the villages have got more than one card.Even the service holders and rich people have availed the facilities, they said.
According to villager Surjaya Narayan Bebarta, he was asked to submit all his documents and photograph for a card but when he failed to pay the amount, he returned empty-handed. The villagers submitted a letter to the block development officer and demanded immediate intervention in the matter.