Imphal, July 11 NNN: The current ration cards issued to the people for Public Distribution System (PDS) in Manipur are based on the government survey conducted way back in 1997 and since then these have not been updated till date.
This was stated by A Ruikhan, Additional Chief Secretary, Consumer and Food and Public Distribution during a ‘one-day state level public hearing on right to food and PDS’ organized by Sustainable Livelihood Forum at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound here Wednesday.
Harsh Mander, Commissioner, Right to Food, New Delhi, W.A Shishak, retired Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court, Amar Yumnam, Dean, School of Social Science at Manipur University, Th Surbala, retired District and Session Judge and Kavita Shrivastav, national secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberty attended the event as panelists.
W Joykumar, executive director, Human Rights Initiatives, who also took part at the public hearing, said as per Supreme Court all the Fair Price Shops should maintain price lists, adding that the government does not take seriously on any matter or complaint lodged regarding price of food items.
He also alleged the government that it does not make clear to the people on its policy and programmes owing to which they have not proper knowledge about them. W.A Shishak said all the flagship programmes are very beneficial indeed but lack of proper attention makes them ineffective.Every good policy cannot yield fruit if it is not fully implemented and that delaying tactics in taking up a particular work or programme result in nothing except paralyzing it, Shishak insisted.
He said voice of the people is apparently weak when they oppose against any misconduct of the government and added that he wants the people to agitate in a systematic manner to achieve their demand on any issue.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pds-based-on-1997-survey/
