country can ill-afford to have its surplus foodgrains eaten by rats in government godowns or dumped in sea while the poor go hungry-SC Oct 30 2010,

SC, distribution of foodgrains, Below Poverty Line (BPL)

Posted: Sat Oct 30 2010, 01:47 hrs New Delhi:


Noting that even 10 years after it ordered that the country can ill-afford to have its surplus foodgrains eaten by rats in government godowns or dumped in sea while the poor go hungry, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the Attorney General to respond to the continued inadequate disbursement of foodgrains to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

“More than nine years ago, this court had passed the order that foodgrains overflowing in storage, especially in FCI godowns, should not be wasted by dumping in the sea or eaten by rats. There is no implementation of the order,” a Bench said.

As an example of how their order was disregarded by the government, the Bench cited from the latter’s affidavit to show 55,121 tonnes of wheat in Punjab and Haryana storage facilities were damaged and rendered unfit for consumption as of August 1, 2010.

Though it is aware that procurement of adequate foodgrains is essential to provide food security and the interest of farmers has to be safeguarded, the court said procurement ought to be in proportion to ability for storage.

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“Mere schemes without any implementation are of no use. What is important is that the food must reach the hungry,” the Bench said.

It wants the government to explain the reason for following the 1991 Census figures for food distribution in 2010.