​ TOI Impact: BPL card for wife of slain witness in Asaram rape case

SHAHJAHANPUR: Two days after TOI highlighted the plight of Moni Singh, wife of Kripal Singh, the slain witness in the rape case against Asaram, the Shahjahanpur district administration on Friday initiated steps to issue a BPL card to the woman. District magistrate (DM) Amrit Tripathi sent a team of officials to Moni’s house in Sinjai locality here to collect the necessary documents for a ration card.
Speaking to TOI earlier on Wednesday, 39-year-old Moni had revealed how she was struggling to raise two sons after the administration cancelled her BPL card in August last year when the distribution process went online. “We have led a terrible life. Following Kripal’s murder, the Shahjahanpur administration had announced a BPL card for the family. However, it was cancelled when we applied for it online. My son’s school had waived off his fees but they too started charging us from this academic session. It has been difficult for me to buy books, uniform and stationery items for him,” she said.
Kripal, an LIC agent, was the only earning member of the family. He was killed in July 2015 in the district when Moni was five months pregnant. She then moved to her parents’ house in Sinjai with her children.
“My only source of income was the monthly rent of Rs 2,500 from the house. I had given three applications in government offices and made several rounds to get the BPL card,” added Moni, who holds a BSc degree.
Soon after the TOI report, DM Tripathi asked sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ramji Mishra to look into the matter on a priority basis. “The BPL card for Kripal’s wife was approved immediately and it will be handed over to her at the earliest,” Tripathi said.
“We have processed her application and the necessary documents were collected by our officials,” said SDM Mishra.