Mumbai: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition has been filed before the Bombay High Court seeking for implementation of the “One Nation One Ration Card” (ONORC) scheme under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The scheme allows portability of ration cards across India and is intended to ensure that millions of migrant labourers can access essential food supplies across State lines.
The Supreme Court on June 29, 2021, June 21, 2022 and Mau 20, 2023, passed orders on its suo motu (on its own) plea directing implementation of the ONORC scheme.
PIL Comes Up For Hearing
The PIL by NGO, MOvement For Peace and Justice For Welfare, came up for hearing last week before a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar, which suggested that the petitioner may need to approach the apex court under a contempt petition as it sought implementation of the apex court’s orders.
About NFSA
The NFSA was enacted in 2013 to provide food and nutrition security to approximately two-thirds of India's population, covering 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban populace. The ONORC scheme proposed under the Act is designed to facilitate the portability of ration cards, allowing beneficiaries to access subsidised food from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country, thereby addressing the needs of a mobile workforce.
What Does The PIL Seeks To Achieve
The PIL has sought three main reliefs, one of which is immediate compliance with the SC’s orders.
The plea has sought a recalibration of the coverage under the NFSA for Maharashtra. The current coverage, based on the 2011 census, is outdated, the plea contends. It adds that the state’s population has significantly increased due to natural growth and migration. The petition calls for an update to the coverage of 7 crore citizens to more accurately reflect current demographics.
The PIL highlights the need to revise the maximum annual family income limits set by the Maharashtra Food Security Rules, 2019. Presently, these thresholds are capped at Rs 44,000 for rural households and Rs59,000 for urban households. It adds that these figures are unreasonably low, especially when compared to actual living wages.
It also points out significant inconsistencies among various government welfare schemes in Maharashtra. A person earning an annual family income of Rs8 lakh qualifies for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota but does not meet the criteria for food security benefits under the NFSA. This calls for a unified approach, the plea contends. It also emphasises on the food price inflation in India.
As a result, each year, fewer people qualify for food security benefits, further exacerbating the plight of vulnerable communities, the plea states.
Petitioner’s advocate Hamza Lakdawala sought time to take instruction on withdrawing prayers regarding implementation of the SC orders. The HC has kept the matter for hearing on October 23.
