JOIN USThe Supreme Court on Friday passed a slew of directions for the effective implementation of the provisions of the National Food Security (NFS) Act, while observing that its compliance has been “pathetic”.
A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and N V Ramana directed that the secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution convene meetings of the secretaries of all the states and Union Territories on or before August 31 to take stock of the implementation of the food act.
“A law enacted by Parliament as part of its social justice obligation must be given its due respect and implemented faithfully, sincerely and positively before the end of this year,” it said.
The bench also asked the secretary to “emphatically request and commend” every state and Union Territory to notify appropriate rules for a grievance redressal mechanism under the act, and designate appropriate and independent officials as district grievance redressal officers within a fixed timeframe this year.
It said adequate publicity should be given to the appointment and designation of district grievance redressal officers so that an aggrieved person could approach them without any fear and with the expectation that their woes would be addressed.