Supreme Court Orders States to Issue Ration Cards to Migrant Workers in Four Weeks
The Supreme Court of India has directed state governments to issue ration cards within four weeks to migrant and unorganised sector workers registered on the e-shram portal. A bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah also instructed the Central government to release extra foodgrains for states that have issued ration cards to these workers but have exhausted their quota under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The court took serious note of the slow pace at which states are verifying and issuing ration cards. It directed all states to complete the work within four weeks and file compliance reports, warning of proceedings against officials if compliance is not met.
During the hearing, petitioners pointed out that several states had exhausted their NFSA quota and could only issue ration cards if the Central government provided additional foodgrains. The court reiterated that ration cards must be issued irrespective of the quotas defined in section 3 of the NFSA.
In earlier orders, the court had noted that the coverage of persons getting rations under the NFSA is based on the 2011 census, even though the population has increased, excluding more than 10 crore people from the food security net. Counsels Prashant Bhushan and Cheryl D’Souza represented the petitioners, including Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander, and Jagdeep Chhokar.
The top court was hearing a petition titled ‘Re Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers’ and has given important directions to ensure food security for migrant and unorganised sector workers. The court emphasized that these workers are the backbone of the country and must be provided rations at subsidized rates.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions that everyone in the country has to follow.
Ration Cards -: Ration cards are documents that allow people to buy food and other essentials at lower prices from the government.
Migrant Workers -: Migrant workers are people who move from one place to another, often from villages to cities, to find work.
e-shram portal -: The e-shram portal is a website where workers in unorganized sectors can register to get benefits from the government.
Central government -: The Central government is the main government of India, which makes decisions for the whole country.
National Food Security Act (NFSA) -: The National Food Security Act is a law in India that aims to provide affordable food to people who need it.
Quota -: A quota is a fixed amount of something that is allowed or provided. In this case, it refers to the amount of foodgrains states can distribute.
Unorganised sector workers -: Unorganised sector workers are people who work in jobs that are not officially registered or regulated by the government.
