The Supreme Court on Monday ordered States across the country to distribute dry rations to stranded migrant workers without ration cards and run community kitchens for them.
On May 13, the apex court had directed States to provide dry rations to migrants in the National Capital Region. On Monday, it extended the responsibility to all the States.
“Let all States file affidavits indicating the mechanism by which the dry ration should be distributed to those migrant workers who do not possess a ration card,” a Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah directed.
The court left it to the discretion of individual States to utilise either the Centre's Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme, which was implemented for giving dry rations to migrant workers in May and June of 2020, or any other alternative scheme. But the court underscored that “dry ration has to be distributed to the migrant workers throughout the country by the States”.
The Bench held it was the responsibility of the States and Union Territories to run community kitchens for migrant labourers “who have lost their employment and are in need of two meals a day”.
“We direct all the States/Union Territories to make operational community kitchens to stranded migrant workers wherever they may be situated in the country,” the Supreme Court ordered.
Wide publicity
The Bench directed that “wide publicity” should be given about the various welfare schemes for migrant workers, including locations of community kitchens, so that needy persons would benefit.
The court recorded in its order that migrant workers who are already beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act should be encouraged to use the facility of portability under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC). It, however, refused a plea to direct States to provide direct cash transfers to migrant workers, saying this was a matter of policy concerning individual States or UTs.
The 16-page order came on submissions made by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for some activists, that the number of community kitchens in Delhi providing cooked food had reduced this year. Cash transfers were restricted to construction workers in the National Capital. He said neither the Centre nor the States had provided dry rations to stranded migrant workers under the Atma Nirbhar Scheme across the country.
Centre’s assertion
In its affidavit, the Centre said Delhi had “satisfactorily dealt” with the initial exodus of migrant workers. “As on date, there is no problem regarding transportation of stranded migrant workers,” the Centre's affidavit said.
The Railways, it said, were notified as early as on April 20 to “manage the exodus”.
“As on date, most of the industries are working and there is no such large scale of cessation of employment of workers in the second wave of COVID-19,” the Centre submitted.