Dimapur, July 3 : The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers' Organisation (NVCO) organized an awareness campaign on National Food Security Act 2013 at Emmanuel Baptist Church Kohima today as soon as the Sunday morning worship was over.
An awareness session on the topic - ‘National Food Security Act(NFSA) was led by the Church Pastor Neise Angami with a prayer where the President of Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) Kezhokhoto Savi addressed the congregation.
A national award recipient Kezhokhoto Savi said that NFSA was a historic step taken by the Government of India to eradicate hunger which came into effect on September 10, 2013 and extended to the whole of India, to ensure access to adequate quantity and quality of food at affordable prices.
It may be mentioned that the intensive awareness campaign on ‘National Food Security Act’ NFSA) kicked off soon after Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang had officially launched to be implemented in Kohima and Dimapur on June 27.
“As per the provisions of the National Food Security Act 2013 it was the State government bounded duty to implement the Act and monitor the scheme of minister and department in accordance with guidelines issued by the central government so that the scheme reached to the targeted beneficiaries in the state.
As the saying goes ‘Better late than never’, the State Government particularly the department of Food & Civil Supplies had worked hard to implement the said Act as there were several pre-conditions to be follow such as; a) Beneficiaries to be selected and the entire list is to be log into the website of the department of food & civil supplies. b) There should be door step delivery-food grains should be sent to the fair price shop. c) There should be constitution of grievances redressal cell at the district level and also state level food commission. d) Online allocation of food grains-whatever food grains has been sent from the headquarters should be displayed on food & civil supplies department website. e) There should be a call centre and the number should be prominently known and displayed so that if people have some grievances they can call on that number and the state government can redress that.
Savi said, under the Act, the scheme of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) which is meant for the poorest sections would continue but the two categories such as BPL & APL is converted into Priority Household (PHH) and each category i.e both AAY & PHH would be getting a kg of rice at the rate of Rs.3 and wheat at Rs.2 per kg.
He said, the eldest woman in the family not below 18 years would be the head of the family in holding ‘Card’.
“As per the Act it is mandatory for every beneficiary to have AADHAR and followed with finger print. To follow the system may not easy but every beneficiary must follow as this is the only way to ensure transparency and avoid misappropriation and corruption. We are all aware that there was misappropriation and corrupt practices in MGNREGA Schemes just because beneficiary failed to stick to ‘job card’ and in the same manner if we don’t follow the system then we are inviting corruption by ourselves.”
Savi appealed to the congregation especially the beneficiaries to extend their co-operation to the department of Food & Civil Supplies, district administration, village authorities, town colony panchayats in urban area while carrying out the Act as a flagship programme in the country.
Savi further said, “If we are to strictly follow the criteria for eligibility to avail the said scheme then the major population in the state may not do so but in order to avail the state allocation the major population in the state both village and urban can availed but the top priority is to be given to the genuine candidates and to made sure that none of the genuine candidates are being left out. Actually, this is a scheme not for the rich as the Act is to fight against hunger. Death arises out of hunger is one greatest human right violation and therefore, this Act is also to ensure and protect one’s human rights.”
The team of ‘Citizens Right Awareness Campaign’ led by its Professor-in-Charged Kezhokhoto Savi would be conducting more of this kind giving more priority to churches considering church as a good platform to highlight about ‘the fight against hunger and corruption’.
For further contact: e-mail: kezhokhotosavi@yahoo.com or through Toll Free No. 1800-345-3701 of Nagaland State Consumer Helpline having an office situated at Old Assembly Secretariat building, Kohima.
