The Himachal Pradesh government will start the fourth phase of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) identification survey from February 1, 2026. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department to initiate the next phase to ensure that all eligible families are included in the BPL list.
Chairing a meeting of the department, the Chief Minister said the survey was being conducted in five phases so that no deserving family was left out. He stated that inclusion in the BPL list was essential for eligible families to access benefits under various government welfare schemes.
According to official data, 59,829 families have already been included in the BPL list during the first three phases of the survey across the state. District-wise figures show that 13,786 families were added in Chamba, 12,045 in Mandi, 10,807 in Kangra, 5,869 in Una, and 4,522 in Shimla. Other districts include Solan with 1,567 families, Sirmaur with 1,277, Kullu with 2,957, Hamirpur with 3,480, Bilaspur with 2,204, Kinnaur with 1,109, and Lahaul-Spiti with 206 families included so far.
The Chief Minister said that orphans up to the age of 27 years, households with members above 59 years of age, and families having members with disabilities in the 27 to 59 age group were eligible for inclusion. Families headed by women with no adult male member between 27 and 59 years of age are also being covered. In addition, households where the head has a disability of 50 percent or more will be included in the BPL list.
He further said that families which worked for at least 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) during the previous financial year would be considered eligible. Households where earning members suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, or any condition leading to permanent disability will also be included.
The government has also decided to include families living in concrete houses who have received financial assistance under State or Central housing schemes, ensuring wider coverage of vulnerable households.
The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to social welfare and said the ongoing survey was aimed at ensuring that benefits reached every deserving family in the state.
