Imphal, July 27: For the first time in Manipur, 2 beneficiaries of National Food Security Act had lodged complaints to the concern authority against the department’s failure to provide allotted ration quotas.
A statement of the Human Rights Initiatives (HRI) said that two(2) complainants namely Thokchom (O) Pramo Devi W/O Th. Yaiskul Meitei of Porompat CT under Khetrigao Assembly Constituency and R.K. Ranjana Devi @ Nungshitombi W/O R.K. Sanatomba of Wangkhei Hijam Leirak under Yaiskul A.C. have filed their complaints to the District Grievance Redressal Officer(DGRO)/Additional District Magistrate, Imphal East District, Porompat, Manipur for not getting ration/rice quota for the months of May, June and July 2016 by the Authority concerned under the National Food Security Act,2013 which has been enforced from the month of April 2016 in the State. The two complainants have also requested to the DGRO to pay food security allowance under the Act for failing to provide them ration/rice of the said months. The two families are belonging to economically backward family of the district and these two complaints have been filed under the Aegis of HRI as the part of ongoing right to food campaign. If the DGRO has failed to redress the grievances of the Complainants, HRI will provide logistic to the complainants for further appeal to State Food Commission later on if the grievances of the complainants are not readdressed accordingly.
It may be mentioned that any public servant or authority found guilty, by the State Commission at the time deciding any complaint or the appeal, of failing to provide the relief recommended by DGRO, without reasonable cause or willfully ignoring such recommendation shall be liable to penalty not exceeding Rs.5000/- in accordance with the provisions of Section 41 of the Act. Further, HRI strongly demand to the Nodal Department i.e. CAF & PD, Govt. of Manipur that all the notifications to be made under the Act including the mechanism for providing maternity benefit not less than Rs.6000/- to every pregnant woman or lactating mother (section 4(b)), value of a meal for providing food security allowance (Section 13) and time period for complaint and appeal should be made to the general public immediately so that the citizen assert their entitlements as per provisions of law.
HRI also warn to the Political parties or so called social activist to stop playing card of the NFSA on the pretext of coming election and it is amounted to mockery with the people’s entitlements or the law. It is also questionable to those politicians who are playing card of Food Security Act.
