BPL or Below Poverty Line card is a document that identifies the households that are living below the poverty line and are eligible for various benefits and subsidies under the government schemes. It also serves as a proof of identity and address for various purposes such as applying for government schemes, bank accounts, voter ID card, etc.
To apply and get a BPL card in Bengaluru, you need to follow these steps:
- Find an online or offline mode of application. You can apply for a BPL card online through the website of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Karnataka (https://ahara.kar.nic.in/Home/EServices). You can also apply offline by visiting any of the ration card service centres or facilitation centres in Bengaluru (https://ahara.kar.nic.in/Home/FacilitationCenters).
- Fill the application form and pay the fee. You need to fill the Form 1 with your personal details such as name, date of birth, address, family members, income, etc. You also need to provide your Aadhaar number and mobile number if you have them. You need to pay a fee of Rs. 5 for processing your application. You can pay online through net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI or offline through cash or demand draft.
- Submit the documents and biometric data. You need to submit a proof of identity, a proof of address and a proof of income along with your application form. You can check the list of valid documents at https://ahara.kar.nic.in/Home/ValidDocument . You also need to provide your biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scan at the enrolment centre for authentication purposes.
- Receive your acknowledgement number and BPL card status. After completing the application process, you will receive an acknowledgement number that contains your 15-digit application number and the date and time of application. You need to keep this number safely as it will help you track the status of your BPL card application online at https://ahara.kar.nic.in/lpg/ . You can also check the status by sending an SMS to 92123-57123 with your application number.
- Receive your BPL card by post or collect it from the centre. After verifying your details and biometric data, the department will issue your BPL card within 15 days of application. You will receive your BPL card by post at your registered address or you can collect it from the centre where you applied.
Eligibility for BPL Card
Any resident of Karnataka who belongs to a household whose annual income is less than Rs. 12,000 (for rural areas) or Rs. 17,000 (for urban areas) is eligible to apply for a BPL card. The household should also meet other criteria such as landholding, housing condition, occupation, etc.
How to Update Existing BPL Card Details and Get New Card in Bengaluru
If you want to update or correct any information in your existing BPL card such as name, address, family members, income, etc., you need to follow these steps:
- Find an online or offline mode of application. You can update your BPL card details online through the website of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Karnataka (https://ahara.kar.nic.in/Home/EServices). You can also update offline by visiting any of the ration card service centres or facilitation centres in Bengaluru (https://ahara.kar.nic.in/Home/FacilitationCenters).
- Fill the application form and pay the fee. You need to fill the Form 2 with your existing BPL card number and the details that you want to update or correct. You also need to provide your Aadhaar number and mobile number if you have them. You need to pay a fee of Rs. 10 for processing your update request.
- Submit the documents and biometric data. You need to submit a proof of identity, a proof of address and a proof of income along with your application form. You also need to submit a proof of the change or correction that you have requested such as a marriage certificate, a gazette notification, a court order, etc. You also need to provide your biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scan at the enrolment centre for authentication purposes.
- Receive your update request number and BPL card status. After completing the update process, you will receive an update request number that contains your 15-digit application number and the date and time of update. You need to keep this number safely as it will help you track the status of your update request online at https://ahara.kar.nic.in/lpg/ . You can also check the status by sending an SMS to 92123-57123 with your application number.
- Receive your updated BPL card by post or collect it from the centre. After verifying your details and biometric data, the department will issue your updated BPL card within 15 days of update. You will receive your updated BPL card by post at your registered address or you can collect it from the centre where you applied.
BPL card holders can avail the following services from the government in Bengaluru:
- Subsidized food grains and other essential commodities under the Public Distribution System (PDS). BPL card holders can get rice at Rs. 3 per kg, wheat at Rs. 2 per kg, sugar at Rs. 13.5 per kg and kerosene at Rs. 9 per litre from the fair price shops or ration shops in their locality. They can also get free rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme of the state government.
- Free healthcare services under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) scheme. BPL card holders can avail free healthcare services up to Rs. 5 lakh per year at any of the empanelled hospitals in the state. They can also get free medicines, diagnostics and follow-up care under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and Aadhaar card to avail the benefits.
- Free education for their children under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. BPL card holders can get free admission for their children in any of the private unaided schools in their neighbourhood under the 25% reservation quota for economically weaker sections. They can also get free textbooks, uniforms and mid-day meals for their children under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and income certificate to avail the benefits.
- Free electricity connection under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya) scheme. BPL card holders can get free electricity connection for their households under this scheme. They can also get free LED bulbs, fans and mobile charging points under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and Aadhaar card to avail the benefits.
- Free LPG connection under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme. BPL card holders can get free LPG connection for their households under this scheme. They can also get free LPG cylinders, stoves and regulators under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and Aadhaar card to avail the benefits.
- Free housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme. BPL card holders can get free housing units or financial assistance for constructing or improving their houses under this scheme. They can also get subsidies on loans, interest rates and construction materials under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and Aadhaar card to avail the benefits.
- Free legal aid under the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) scheme. BPL card holders can get free legal aid and advice from any of the legal services authorities or legal aid clinics in their locality. They can also get free representation in courts, mediation, conciliation and arbitration services under the scheme. They need to produce their BPL card and income certificate to avail the benefits.
- Free travel concession under the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) scheme. BPL card holders can get free travel concession on KSRTC buses within Karnataka for various purposes such as education, health, employment, pilgrimage, etc. They need to produce their BPL card and identity proof to avail the benefits.
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