The Supreme Court of India has instructed state governments to distribute ration cards to migrant workers, who were yet to get the same, even after getting themselves registered on the Centre’s e-Shram portal, within three months.
A Bench led by Justice MR Shah has passed the order in an application that was filed by activists Harsh Mander, Anjali Bharadwaj and Jagdeep Chhokar, alleging non-compliance by the Union government and certain states with the order of the Apex Court issued in 2021 on dry rations and open community kitchens for migrant workers.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the petitioners, pointed out that due to the absence of the latest population figures, about over 10 crore people have been excluded from the protective umbrella of the National Food Security Act, 2013, without even ration cards.
The coverage under the food security law, has been determined on the basis of the 2011 census, was grossly inadequate, it was pointed out.
The bench said that at it would give further three months time to the concerned states for undertaking the exercise to issue ration cards to the ones left-out registered on the e-Shram portal by giving wide publicity and direct the concerned state or union territory to approach such people through the district collectors’ office.
It further said that more participation should be encouraged,to get the benefit of benevolent schemes by the Union of India and state governments, as well as the benefit of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
The central government has been asked to file a status report, the bench directed the matter to be listed next on October 3, 2023.
In the last hearing, the Apex court had directed the central and state governments for nforming whether the 28.55 crores migrants/unorganised workers registered on the e-Shram portal possessed the ration cards and whether all of them had been given the benefit of food under the National Food Security Act.
The National Food Security Act, entitles the rural and urban poor to receive subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
The Court said that mere registration on the portal was not enough, as it was imperative that the benefits of the benevolent scheme of the governments should reach the poorest of the poor.
Justice Shah told additional solicitor-general Aishwarya Bhati, that the bench is not interested in sharing of data between the states and the centre.
The bench said that it was interested in whether migrants, who are skilled or unskilled, are getting the benefit of the schemes.
The court said that the government should reach every migrant, first of all, the ones who are already registered.