Shimla – The Himachal Pradesh government has widened the criteria for Below Poverty Line (BPL) selection to include more vulnerable families under welfare schemes. The Rural Development Department has issued fresh orders following directions from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
As per the new rules, families will now be able to get BPL status on the recommendation of the Panchayat Secretary, even if they do not submit an application themselves. The government has taken this step to ensure that maximum eligible households are not left out of benefits due to procedural barriers.
Importantly, families that have received concrete houses under state or central housing schemes will continue to remain in the BPL list. The new criteria also include orphan children up to 27 years of age, woman-headed households without an adult member between the ages of 25 to 59, and persons with more than 40 percent disability.
Patients undergoing dialysis, those suffering from serious illnesses like Hepatitis-B and HIV, and accident victims with spinal cord injuries will also come under the BPL category. In addition, if any family member apart from the head is seriously ill, such families will also be considered eligible.
Chief Minister Sukhu had earlier directed officials to expand the scope of BPL inclusion while reviewing the matter with the Rural Development Department. He said the move was essential to ensure that deserving families are not deprived of government assistance.
