SC for Centre's reply on food security for drought-hit states

The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to file its reply on a plea seeking all states to ensure food security for drought-affected rural population till the end of calamity or till six months.
A bench headed by Justice M B Lokur asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to file the response till March 30 after he submitted that the prayers have been revised by the petitioner.
"You file your response to the revised prayers and matter be listed for further hearing on March 30," a bench also comprising Justice N V Ramana said.
The Solicitor General informed the bench that some states have not filed their responses regarding the steps taken in these drought-hit states in compliance with the directions of of the court.

Petitioner NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, in its revised prayer, also sought direction to Centre to abide by the provisions of MNREGA Act and use it for employment generation in drought- affected areas.
The plea also sought that "the Reserve Bank of India and the States to ensure that the scheduled banks as well as the non-scheduled banks restructure the crop loans and other outstanding loans of the drought-affected farmers..."

On January 22, the Centre had informed the apex court that agriculture secretaries of 12 drought-hit states will be meeting in Delhi to discuss steps to be taken to provide relief to farmers and others affected.

The court had asked the Centre to apprise it about the current status of welfare schemes like MGNREGA, National Food Security and mid-day meal in the 12 drought-hit states across the country.
The PIL filed by the NGO has alleged that parts of 12 states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh were hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief.
Centre had told the bench that funds to the tune of over
Rs 1,500 crore, Rs 1,276 crore, Rs 2,032 crore, Rs 3,044 crores have been made available to Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharshtra respectively.

It had said, that for 2015-20, a total fund of Rs 61,291 crore has been earmarked to provide relief to the states which may be hit by disasters.
The NGO Swaraj Abhiyan run by persons like psephologist Yogendra Yadav, in its plea has sought implementation of the National Food Security Act which guarantees 5 kg of foodgrain per person per month.
It has also sought a direction to the authorities that affected families be also given pulses and edible oils.
The plea has further said that school-going children be also given milk and eggs under the mid-day meal scheme.
The plea has sought 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.

It alleged that the Centre and states "have been highly negligent in performing their obligations, causing enormous damage to the lives of the people due to their inaction, which is in contravention of the rights guaranteed under Articles 21 and 14 of the Constitution of India".
The petition submitted that drought has led to severe decline in farm employment available to the rural poor.