Workshop on Right to Food held
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 29 2012: Manipur alliance for Child Rights organised a workshop on 'Right to Food' at Hotel Imphal today in which the Alliance convenor Keisham Pradipkumar regretted that inspite of the Indian Parliament passing the National Food Security Bill 2011 in December last people of Manipur are still being denied the basic needs of life due to failure of the public distribution system.

Providing the workshop's key-note address, Pradipkumar opined that he do not expect people of Manipur to benefit from the recent Bill, that aims to ensure its citizens the Right to Food, as the public distribution system in Manipur had been failing to serve its purpose.

Repenting lack of concerted movement by the masses to demand their rights, he construed that leniency by the general public is only emboldening corrupt officials to continue looting the common man's share.

Contending that Right to Food Act is an ineffective doctrine in Manipur for the common people are being discriminated upon by top ranking officials of various department, he cited failure by the department concerned to purposefully implement the mid-day meal scheme and similar provisions to pregnant women under ICDS programme as some glaring instances of corruption in the system depriving the people their due share of welfare initiatives by the Central Government.

Economically weak families in Manipur suffer the most for essential items such BPL and AAY rice, and kerosine oil supposed to be made available to them at the cheapest rates seldom reach the targeted section of the society for the people's representatives do not care for the poor families, rued the convenor.

Elaborating on 'Legal Entitlements under Right to Food vis-a-vis National Food Security', Human Rights Law Network, Manipur director Rakesh Meihoubam opined that until and unless effective remedial measures are initiated for an effective PDS system the National Food Security Bill 2011 would remain a spineless legislation in Manipur.

While provision of rice to BPL and AAY families could not be implemented due to failure of the PDS system financial assistance entitled to pregnant women through the local Anganwadis remain wishful thinking for many expectant mothers, said the director who also pointed out ineffective implementation of various other welfare programmes for the children, widows and homeless people.

As one of the resource persons of the workshop, Joykumar Wahengbam spoke on 'Issues of denial of Right to Food in Manipur and Reviewing the Redressal Mechanism' .

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