All minorities in BPL list

New Delhi: Minority as well as SCs/STs and landless poor will be automatically included in the Below Poverty Line list to be prepared after a census by the Union Rural Development Ministry. Later, the creamy layer will be excluded from the BPL list on the basis of yet to be identified ‘verifiable’ exclusion criteria like income, land holding or ownership of farm equipment or a motor vehicle. Union Rural Development Minister CP Joshi told The Pioneer that “in an era of paradigm shift in governance in the face of entitlements and rights to the underprivileged, identification of the genuine beneficiaries of the development schemes is very important”. The move, the Minister said, will address complaints that deserving minority, SCs/STs and landless poor were not included in the BPL list because of irregularity in preparing the list.

More than anything, Ministry insiders feel, the move will also help the Government to send a ‘message’ to the Muslims who have been feeling that their political space has been shrunk due to the women’s reservation Bill.

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