CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed the State government to file affidavit giving an update on the beneficiaries covered under the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS). The court was hearing a PIL seeking special intervention by way of food security measures and food grains to non-ration card holders in view of Covid-19 pandemic. Social activist Prafulla Samantara had filed the PIL last year.
The State government had last filed an affidavit on May 13 indicating that 11, 66,235 numbers of beneficiaries are covered under the SFSS. For inclusion of eligible left-out poor and vulnerable persons under the food security schemes, State government has made 377 Ration Card Management System (RCMS) Centres operational in all blocks and urban local bodies of the State, the affidavit claimed. Samantara’s counsel Ishwar Mohanty pointed out to the court that the number of beneficiaries indicated in the affidavit was the same as in the previous affidavit filed in March. A very large number of people remained outside the State food security scheme, he said.
While directing the State government to file an update, the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray also sought a response to an interim application filed by the petitioner by November 25.
The interim application sought immediate steps to expand the food basket of PDS for the beneficiaries during these extraordinary times owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of just rice, it sought inclusion of coarse cereals, pulses, edible oils and other essential commodities in the PDS basket to meet the nutritional requirements of the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) or the SFSS.
In the last few months, the fresh plea said there has been an appreciable increase in prices of edible oils - mustard, sunflower and pulses. This directly affects the consumption of food by the poor sections of the society. Therefore, the expansion of the food basket has become necessary.
According to the interim application, conjoint reading of the report of State of Food Security and Nutrition in Odisha and the Niti Aayog SDG Report-2021 points out that the nutritional needs of the poor and vulnerable population of the State has not been met and therefore interference of the court is warranted in these extraordinary times.