Expressing dissatisfaction over the State Government’s dillydallying attitude in framing draft rules for the State under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the Right to Food Campaign, State Chapter here on Wednesday demanded immediate implementation of the Act without any further delay.
Stating that the Campaign has submitted a list of suggestions to the Government with regard to the measures required for effective implementation of the Act, Campaign State convenor Pradip Pradhan at a Press conference said though it submitted a list of suggestions to the Chief Secretary on October 30 for formation of draft rules under the NFSA, the Government is neither following the suggestions nor taking any initiatives to frame rules of its own.
Pradhan said the suggestions include provision of minimum 12-kg rice per person per month under the targeted public distribution system (TPDS), provision of millets, pulses, oil, potato and salt apart from rice, inclusion of widow, single woman and all eligible woman pension holder, inclusion of third gender terming it as family, inclusion of homeless, nomadic families, formation of internal grievance redressal mechanism starting from village and gram panchayat to district and State levels.
“The State Government should immediately frame rules at least for implementation of the basic provisions of the Act,” added Pradhan.
Stating that the effective implementation of the Act depends on dynamic rules, proper administrative arrangements and requisite budgetary provisions, Pradhan rued that the State Government has not yet sought public participation in the matter nor any public consultation beyond asking for suggestions on the exclusion criteria for implementation of the Act.