State given 2 weeks to file status report on food Act

Tribune News Service 

Srinagar, February 12

The J&K High Court today asked the state to file status report on the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the state within two weeks.

The court also asked the petitioner to explain in an affidavit what more needed to be done by the state government in furtherance of the NFSA.

The High Court is hearing public interest litigation by Tariq Ali Najar. The petitioner has sought distribution of ration and essential commodities by the government to the people on the basis of requirement and as per the 2011 Census. The petition was filed through counsel SA Rathore.

The previous PDP-BJP government led by late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had earlier decided to “directly implement” the National Food Security Act in the state from February 1, 2016.

As the matter came up before a division bench of the High Court today, Rathore raised his concerns over the Act, saying 5 kg of ration as promised under the NFSA was not sufficient. 

He submitted before the bench that the government should allocate 13-18 kg per person and also cover the left out souls, which were not covered under the ambit of the National Food Security Act.

The counsel representing the Central Government, meanwhile, submitted that the state government through a Cabinet decision in December 2015 had already decided to implement the National Food Security Act in J&K from February, 2016.

After hearing all the sides, the bench directed the Rathore to submit an affidavit within two weeks explaining what more needed to be done by the government in furtherance of the National Food Security Act in J&K. 

The court also directed the other respondents, including the state government, to file their status report about the implementation of the Act.

Emerging after a Cabinet meeting, Mufti Sayeed had told the press on December 3, 2015 that the government had decided to implement National Food Security Act in J&K “directly” from February 1, 2016.

However, the decision by the government was met with stiff resistance from the general public as well as the opposition, including the separatists, who termed the Act “anti-people” and demanded its roll back.

The National Conference had accused the Mufti-led government of bypassing the Assembly and eroding J&K’s special status after the government decided to extend the Central legislation to the state J&K without first debating its pros and cons in the state Assembly.