Though the State Government has implemented the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for the last six months, thousands of eligible households are deprived of getting their ration cards till now.
The Odisha Shramajeebee Manch, an apex body of 11 people’s organisations of the State, has been demanding an Act on nutritional food security to minimise malnutrition, IMR and MMR since November, 2012.
Keeping the demand in mind, the ruling BJD had promised people to fulfil it in its 2014 election manifesto.
After the persistent demand by the Manch, the Government had agreed to distribute dal and rice with the support of the World Food Programme on a pilot basis in Kandhamal form January 2016. But till now, the Government did not take any steps. The Shramajeebee Manch threatened to stage road blockade demanding a special State Food Security Act in Nayagarh, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sundargada, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts.