CORPORATE PRESS RELEASES (INDIA) news desk
DD news, August 31,2001
Supreme Court has asserted that it had ordered free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing them to rot in godowns and it was not a suggestion as made out by him.
“It was not a suggestion. It is there in our order. You tell the Minister,” the court told the government counsel.
A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma referring to newspaper reports that Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had claimed there was no such order, clarified that it did pass such an order.
Pawar had said, “The Supreme Court’s suggestion (for free distribution) is not possible to implement.” The apex court in an order directed the Union government to conduct a fresh survey of the BPL/ABPL/AAY beneficiaries on the basis of the figures available for 2010 and said the authorities cannot rely on a decade-old data to extend the benefits.
The bench further said that the government must take urgent steps to prevent further rotting of food grains while maintaining that it must procure only that much quantity which it can preserve.
The bench reiterated its earlier order that persons above poverty line shall not be entitled to subsidised foodgrains but if the government was determined to extend the benefit, the same shall be given to those families whose annual income is below Rs three lakhs. _______________(AKS-31/08)
Further news added :
Govt will honour SC decision: Pawar
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said the government will honour the decision of the Supreme Court on free distribution of foodgrains to the poor.
“This government will honour the decision of the Supreme Court. Members’ suggestions will also be considered,” he said responding to the issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha.
Supreme Court on Tuesday made it clear that it had ordered free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in godowns and it was not a suggestion as made out by Pawar.
In the Lok Sabha, Pawar said he had heard about the observations made by the Supreme Court from the media and had made attempts to obtain a copy of the court order.
He said it would be “improper” on his part to make any comments without reading the official order of the Apex court as it could even amount to misleading the House.
Swaraj raised the issue hours after the Supreme Court took exception to Pawar’s statement that its directive on free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing them to rot in godowns was a suggestion which could not be implemented.
“It was not a suggestion. It is there in our order. You tell the Minister,” the court told the government counsel.
The Apex court had on 12th August asked the Centre to consider free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in Food Corporation of India godowns.
The court had passed the direction while dealing with a public interest litigation filed by civil rights group PUCL on rampant corruption in Public Distribution System (PDS) besides rotting of foodgrains in FCI godowns. ______________(SP-31/08)
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