AMN /
The Supreme Court today came down heavily on Gujarat and certain other states for not implementing welfare legislations including National Food Security Act. The Food Security Act says it extends to whole of India.
The bench headed by Justice Madan Lokur also 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. It asked the Centre to file the affidavit by the 10th of this month. The apex court has now posted the matter for further hearing on February 12.
Supreme court had on January 18th asked the Centre to give information about implementation of the welfare schemes as to whether those affected were being provided the minimum required employment and food or not.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO, which alleged that parts of states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Haryana and Chattisgarh have been hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief.