Himachal Pradesh: Families with 40% Disability and 80 Days MGNREGA Work Now Eligible for BPL; New Humanitarian Clause Added
The Himachal Pradesh government has revised the eligibility criteria for BPL families and notified new rules. Now, individuals with 40% disability and those who have worked at least 80 days under MGNREGA will also be eligible for inclusion in the BPL list. Previously, a minimum 50% disability and 100 days of work under MGNREGA were mandatory.
For the first time, a new humanitarian clause has been added: if the primary earning member of a family becomes permanently disabled or bedridden due to an accident, the family will be directly eligible for BPL inclusion. The department has also stated that applications of previously disqualified families will be re-evaluated under the new rules.
Bilaspur District Rural Development Officer Yashpal Parmar said that the first three phases of BPL selection have been completed in the state, covering 2,204 families. The revised rules for the fourth phase aim to include as many eligible families as possible to ensure they benefit from social security and government schemes.
Families who have not yet applied can submit their applications to the respective Block Development Officer’s office by 17th February. The Block-level Committee will review the applications and notify the new list on a Panchayat-wise basis by 25th February.
In addition, the state government has issued a notification appointing administrators in 3,577 Panchayati Raj institutions across Himachal Pradesh. The administration of Gram Panchayats will be led by BDOs as chairpersons, while Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads will be managed by CEO-led committees. The order is effective statewide, except for Lahaul-Spiti district, Chapangi subdivision, and four Gram Panchayats in Kullu district.
The government’s objective is to ensure that no genuinely poor family is deprived of government benefits due to procedural complexities.
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