Jharkhand has managed to cover around 86 per cent of its total population under the Food Security Act as against the national average of 75 per cent. The Food and Civil Supplies Minister (in-charge), Amar Kumar Bauri made the revelation in the Assembly on Monday. The State’s performance in Food Security Act, implies that it has made enormous progress in terms of the coverage of its population.
The Minister revealed the fact on the query made by Lohardaga MLA, Sukhdeo Bhagat, who raising the query in question hour, stated that as per the Sustainable Development Goals set by United Nations and to be achieved by 2030, Jharkhand stands in rank of 29th in the list of all states and union territories in two parameters poverty alleviation and higher death which is not a good indication for State.
Bhagat said, “The State ranks very poor in these two parameters. Apart from these, the State ranks 23rd in providing good health and 25th in economic growth. What steps the State Government has initiated to address these two issues,”
The United Nations under the Sustainable Development Goals has covered 17 goals and 169 targets which are comprehensive and holistic in nature covering economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development. The goals have to achieve by 2030. The issue raised by Lohardaga MLA was supported by other members from Opposition benches, seeking government’s reply on the steps taken by the government to attain goals under the Sustainable Development Goals. The lawmaker stated that even after 18 years of formation of state, the Government has failed to check hunger death, also till date the State Government has not created the definition of hunger death.
Replying to lawmaker’s remark, Minister Amar Kumar Bauri said, “Some leaders have the habit of raising the issue of hunger death. In most of cases the death of persons occurs not due to hunger but due to some illness.” The Minister also slammed the lawmaker for raising hunger death issue, which brings bad name to State.
However, a senior officer in Finance and Planning department on condition of anonymity said, “UN has set the goals which has to be achieved by 2030, Jharkhand is in list of progressing states. Only few states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some north eastern states are in poor rank. On several indicators state is progressing.”