Port Blair, June 28: In a letter to the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Shri AR Marudhavanan said that the BPL List which is in existence is around 15 yrs old. The last survey was conducted in the year 1998 and the BPL list was published in the year 2000-2001. Every 10 yrs the list has to be revisited/ resurveyed but till date the re-survey if conducted has not been finalised yet.

Marudhavanan explained that due to the delay in the finalisation of the new BPL list genuine beneficiary are at a loss. The most affected people are the school going children who are given free books only up till VIII class. But from IX to XII they have to produce BPL ration card or BPL number to avail free books. Destitute woman, widows and families who dependent on day to day income are the worst hit as their names don’t figure in the old list and new list is far from being finalised.

It is an irony, said the State Organiser that government servants who are well paid get refund of tuition fees, cost of Books etc, but people who are needy are being neglected. Even the Central Government acknowledge that 30% of our population lives below poverty line. And if at all we have BPL list, we have 30% beneficiaries from BPL and off course we know around 35% population of A & N Islands are Govt Servants. So why discriminate the remaining 35%, asked Marudhavanan.

The DMK State Organiser finally stated that when we have invested Crores of Rupees in School infrastructure, Crores in Salaries for Teachers and Officials, Crores in Lab Equipment and Technicians, Crores in Schemes like mid day Meals etc. then there is no reason to discriminate that 35% from availing free books and Uniforms.