No household in a drought affected area shall be denied grains even if they do not possess a ration card, says Supreme Court
New Delhi: Coming down heavily on the centre and states for a delayed implementation of the National Food Security Act despite a protracted drought, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered that all households in drought-hit areas be supplied with highly subsidised foodgrains.
No household in a drought affected area shall be denied grains even if they do not possess a ration card, the court said, adding that any proof of residence or identity will do.
The order will clear the way for all rural households in drought hit states to avail 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month at a subsidised price of Rs 1-3 per kg.
“We are very happy with the court’s order. It is a historic verdict and we have got more than what we asked for. Hopefully, it will be enacted properly by the state governments and centre,” said Yogendra Yadav, political scientist and co-founder of Swaraj Abhiyan–the organisation which filed the PIL.
Rapping states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat for delayed and improper implementation, the court said that left to “the whims and fancies of the State Governments, it has taken more than two years after the NFS Act came into force (in July 2013) for Gujarat to implement it and Uttar Pradesh has only implemented it partially.”
“Does our Constitution countenance such a situation? Is this what ‘federalism’ is all about?” the court asked.
The court also put the onus of drought relief squarely on the centre.
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