New Delhi: The secretary of Food and Public Distribution department under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has asked the Chief Secretary of Odisha and other states to ensure that all eligible persons with disabilities are included under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
In the letter written to the Chief Secretaries, the secretary has requested to personally intervene in the matter and direct the departments concerned and especially district administrations to ensure that appropriate mechanism is put in place and whole machinery is mobilised in mission mode for compliance of directions made by the department of Food and Public Distribution to states.
Earlier, the department had August 22 issued a direction to states to ensure that all disabled persons, who are eligible as per identification criteria of beneficiaries under NFSA, are covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 and they get their entitled quota of food grains under NFSA & Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana as per provisions of the Act.
It was also stated in the letter that those not already covered should be covered with fresh ration cards to be issued as per the eligibility criteria. The Centre has reiterated that disability is one of the criteria for inclusion under Antyodaya Anna Yojana households and as differently-abled are vulnerable sections of the society.
Section 38 of NFSA mandates that the Centre may from time to time give directions to the state governments for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.
