Bengaluru:  Above the poverty line (APL) families in Karnataka can apply for ration card online from January 9 and get the card delivered to their residence within a week.

The Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has decided to launch an APL ration card programme from January 9. Online registration can be done at http://ahara.kar.nic.in/

All APL families are eligible to get 15 kg rice and 5 kg wheat a month, costing Rs. 125.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader told presspersons here on Thursday that all rations cards, including APL cards, had been linked to Aadhaar. Linking Aadhaar and ration cards had been made mandatory, he said.

Over 10 lakh BPL families have applied seeking ration cards. Now, they have to apply again by linking their Aadhaar. This is because the department has reduced the number of criteria required for submitting applications for BPL cards from 14 to just five. No member in the family should be a government employee and income tax payee; the family should not own a four-wheeler; the family should not own more than 7 acres of land; and a house in urban area should not be spread over more than 1,000 sq. ft.

In rural areas, gram panchayats would issue BPL ration card applications and the village accountant would verify the cards, the Minister said.