Poor asked to cough up bribe to get PLO cards
Nuapada district is one of the 19 districts in the State, where PLO (Poor Left Out) cards are being distributed to poor people who were not included in the BPL list. The Supreme Court had passed an order on May 14, 2011 based on a writ petition to identify poor persons/families in 150 districts of India for distribution of additional food grain at BPL rate. “As a result of the SC order, more than 6.04 lakh poor left out households in the State are now entitled to get 350 kg of rice at the prescribed rate per month starting from November 2011 up to August 2012. It would be provided in three phases,” said State adviser to Supreme Court Commissioner on food rights Rajkishor Mishra. The distribution of cards and rice is now in the process. Nuapada district has been allocated 6,824 cards in total. But what is happening at ground level in the district during the allotment of the card as well the rice? “I paid Rs1,000 to our Sarpanch to get the card. To add to my misery, the ...