BPL lists: Meetings held in 200 Kangra panchayats

Gram Sabha meetings were convened in 200 village panchayats across Kangra district on Friday to review and finalise the Below Poverty Line (BPL) lists, aiming to ensure transparency and accuracy in identifying genuine beneficiaries at the grassroots level.

The meetings served as a platform for villagers to scrutinise the preliminary lists, raise objections and ensure the inclusion of only deserving families. The process was intended to prevent the wrongful inclusion or exclusion of individuals and to streamline the distribution of welfare benefits to economically weaker sections.

District Panchayat Officer Vikram Thakur said in addition to the finalisation of BPL lists, Gram Sabha meetings also discussed other vital issues. These included the adoption of solid waste management and sanitation protocols, registration of livestock and measures to prevent seasonal diseases during the monsoon season.

“There are 811 panchayats in Kangra district. While meetings have already been held in 200 villages, the remaining Gram Sabha sessions will be conducted in a phased manner throughout this month,” he added.

According to official data, a total of 47,316 families across the district had submitted applications for inclusion in the revised BPL lists. The deadline for applications was May 17, after which the Panchayati Raj Department initiated a thorough verification process.

To ensure impartiality and accuracy, three-member verification committees comprising Panchayat Secretary, Patwari and an Anganwadi worker were formed in each panchayat under the supervision of respective SDM. The committees reviewed income declarations and verified eligibility based on self-attested affidavits. Only families with a verifiable annual income of less than Rs 50,000 were considered for inclusion in the BPL list. The entire process—from application verification to final ratification—is expected to be completed by October 15.

Himachal Tribune