Rotting food grains are finally asking questions to our high profile, “poor-friendly”Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. On Tuesday the highest court of the land slammed him for a casual approach to the problem.
Earlier, readers may remember, on August 12 the court had said that if govt cannot safely keep the grains it should be distributed among poor people for free.
Pawar made light of Court’s observation and said that the court only made a suggestion and the government will consider it.
On Tuesday, an apex court bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma told Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran: “Tell your minister not to make any such comment.”
The court said: “What we have said is an order and not a suggestion.”
The court also directed the central government to carry out a fresh survey of the people below poverty line (BPL), above poverty line (APL) and beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).
The court passed the order in the wake of several states disputing the figures of the central government related to beneficiaries of subsidized food schemes.
The court has also asked the government to ensure construction of big godowns in all the states besides separate godowns in different districts and divisions within the states. A job cooperative giant NCCF is aiming at.