The SC Decided on Tuesday that by July 31, all state governments must implement the single-nation, single-ration card scheme. A panel headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan gave the Centre and state governments a series of directions for the benefit of migrant workers.
By July 31, the Supreme Court ordered all state governments to implement the scheme, allowing migrant workers to get ration benefits from anywhere in the country. By July 31, the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to create a national portal in collaboration with the NIC to register unorganized and migrant employees.
The SC ordered states to implement plans for distributing food grains to people without ration cards, and the Centre to provide food grains in accordance with the needs of the states.
Despite the pandemic, the SC ordered that the distribution of dry rations and community kitchens, which will provide assistance to the poor.
The order came as a response to an application filed by activists Harsh Mander, Anjali Bhardwaj, and Jagdeep Chhokar, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan. It seeks direction to ensure that migrant workers are not deprived of rations or food security and that they are able to return to their homes at a reasonable cost.
The application was filed as part of a suo motu action brought by the SC last year to address the migrant worker situation during the lockdown. On June 11, the SC while reserving its decision in the case, ordered the WB govt. to adopt the one-nation-one-ration-card plan immediately.
During the hearing, the SC stated that its major concern is that benefits intended for migrant workers must reach them as the registration procedure is terribly slow. The SC ruled that the federal government and state governments must speed up the registration of migratory workers and those employed in the unorganized sector.
