Dimapur, July 17 (EMN): Members of Kohima Law College began with their ‘Citizen Rights & Duties Awareness’ campaign at Khiamniungan Baptist Church in Kohima town on July 15.
According to a press release from the organisers on Monday, topics such as consumer rights, National Food Security, Human Rights; environment; public service; Lokayukta; the Food Safety and Standard; RTI & Clean Election were discussed during the event. Kezhokhoto Savi, professor in-charge, Kohima Law College, appended the press release.
“With the implementation of National Food Security Act 2013 in Nagaland the 14,05,956 of the population of Nagaland i.e 2,12,034 AAY & 11,93,922 PHH is entitled to get rice at the rate of Rs.3/- per kg and Rs.2/- per of wheat out of which the category of Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) would be getting 35 kgs per month and for the category of Priority Household(PHH) is 5 kgs per head per month,” the press release stated.
Professor in-charge Kezhokhoto Savi said that the National Food Security Act was meant to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.
“This is to cover the households of 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population. The Act includes maternity benefit of not less than Rs.6000/- and mid-day meals. The genuine concern here is, are the community of Khiamniungan especially back at home are getting food grains as entitled under this Act?” the press release queried.
Calling it a “fight against hunger,” the campaigners said “we cannot allow either the politicians or public servants or businessmen to misappropriate it as this is really going to help the state economy. This is the Act which would help the community especially people living in villages.”
Savi, who issued the press release, said he has requested the Khiamniungan Students’ Union of Kohima to take further initiative to ‘find out whether their community back at home are getting their due share.’
Highlighting the duties of a consumer, the campaigners appealed for vigilance over food products. When buying goods or availing services, the press release stated, consumers are to always insist on cash receipt; they are to check the expiration date especially medicine, check MRP, check ISI or AGMARK markings, etc.; check the manufactured dates especially on packaged food.
On the matter of ‘Clean Election,’ the campaigners stated that the concept was to emphasize the importance of personal integrity in electing leaders as the basis for public integrity.
’Election is a good means of choosing a leader but very often time we abuse it because of the wrong practices of election and we hear painful stories of divisions, in families, clans and villages and the fabric of friendship and love among family members is destroyed,’ the press release stated.
“The climate of unity and love among the church members is being eroded by the negative forces of election. Hence the need of change is so urgent. We must not make election as a battle ground rather cast our vote fairly and be the change,” it added.
