Haryana
SC Directs all UTs and States to Issue Ration Cards to Unorganised and Migrant Workers
- 23 Mar 2024
- 3 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that ration cards are issued to 80 million migrant and unorganised workers within the next two months.
Key Points
- Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, the apex court ordered governments to issue ration cards to 80 million persons.
- These people are registered on the eShram portal but do not possess the cards.
- The court noted that the exercise of matching eShram registrants with NFSA beneficiaries had already been undertaken and on that basis, it had been found that nearly 80 million people do not possess ration cards.
- Hence, they are not able to avail the benefit of monthly food grains under the Act.
- The SC further directed that the ration cards must be issued irrespective of the quotas defined in section 3 of the NFSA.
- Section 3: Right to receive food grains at subsidised prices by persons belonging to eligible households under Targeted Public Distribution System.
National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA)
- It marks a paradigm shift in the approach to food security from welfare to rights based approach.
- NFSA covers 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population under:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana: It constitutes the poorest-of-the-poor, are entitled to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month.
- Priority Households (PHH): Households covered under PHH category are entitled to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month.
- The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards.
- In addition, the act lays down special provisions for children between the ages of 6 months and 14 years old, which allows them to receive a nutritious meal for free through a widespread network of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres, known as Anganwadi Centres.
e-Shram Portal
- It aims to register 38 crore unorganised workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors, and domestic workers, among others.
- The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12 digit unique number.
- If a worker is registered on the eSHRAM portal and meets with an accident, he will be eligible for Rs 2.0 Lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1.0 lakh on partial disability.
