January 06, 2025 08:20 am (IST)
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SC bench reprimands states for failing to implement central welfare schemes properly
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IBNS): The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday asked the central government to file an affidavit by Feb 10 for the next hearing on Feb 12 regarding the implementation of MGNREGA and other central welfare schemes while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, which alleged that people of several states affected by drought were not getting adequate relief as stated under the National Food Security Act.
According to the PIL, parts of states such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh have been affected by droughts but the people from these areas are not getting the guaranteed 5 kg of food grains per person per month.
Other demands made in the PIL include a direction to authorities that affected families be also given pulses and edible oils, school-going children be given milk and eggs under the mid-day meal scheme, and adequate and timely compensation for crop loss and input subsidy for the next crop to the farmers affected by drought and subsidised cattle fodder for animals.
The SC on Monday came down heavily on states that were not implementing the welfare schemes.
According to media reports,a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said, "What is Parliament doing? Is Gujarat not a part of India? The Act says it extends to whole of India and Gujarat is not implementing it. Tomorrow somebody can say that it is not going to implement the CrPC, IPC and the Evidence Act,"
The bench asked the Centre to collect and collate information from drought-hit states on the status of welfare schemes like MGNREGA, National Food Security and mid-day meal.
The SC, on Jan 18, had asked the Centre to give information about implementation of schemes under MGNREGA, Food Security Act and the mid-day meal schemes as to whether those affected were being provided the minimum required employment and food or not.
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