(a) whether the Supreme Court Commissioner on `Right to Food` has made a recommendation regarding issue of `Special Relief Card` to Tsunami Victims to ensure adequate supply of foodgrains;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the action taken thereon;
(c) the other recommendations made by the Commissioner in this regard; and
(d) the action taken by the Government thereon?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( DR. AKHILESH PRASAD SINGH )
(a): Yes Sir.
(b): The Supreme Court Commissioner on `Right to Food` has desired that all State Governments should ensure that `Special Relief Card` to all Tsunami survivors are issued within a month. He has stated that these cards should provide entitlements equivalent to Antyodaya ration cards for a period of one year from the date of issue regardless of their eligibility in normal times.
Before a decision is taken by the Central Government to include the Tsunami survivors under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), it was decided to estimate the number of such affected households before taking requisite action to implement the Supreme Court Commissioner`s recommendation. The requisite information required for processing the case has not yet been received from all the affected States.
(c) & (d): No other recommendations have been made by the Supreme Court Commissioner in this regard.