The Himachal Pradesh government is set to broaden the criteria for identifying Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, aiming to ensure that more vulnerable households receive welfare benefits. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Rural Development Department to revise the selection process and expand the scope of eligibility.
Under the new directives, orphan children up to the age of 27 years, families headed by women without any adult member between the ages of 25 and 59, and persons with more than 40 percent disability will be included in the BPL category. The expansion also covers individuals undergoing dialysis, those suffering from serious illnesses such as Hepatitis-B or HIV, and accident victims with spinal injuries.
The Chief Minister has further instructed that families where any member—other than the head—is suffering from a serious illness should also qualify for BPL benefits. Additionally, households that have received a concrete house under state or central housing schemes will now be classified as BPL families.
The move comes in response to numerous public suggestions urging the inclusion of more vulnerable sections of society in the BPL list. The revised criteria are expected to bring thousands of previously ineligible families under the ambit of government assistance.
