The Supreme Court today  directed  states and Union Territories to implement the One Nation One Ration Card scheme by July 31. It has also directed the central government to allocate and distribute food grains and dry rations to states and UTs.

As per  media reports, the apex court has issued a slew of directions to central and state governments relating to the welfare of migrant workers in COVID19 times. It has directed the central government to develop a portal by July 31 for registration of unorganised sector workers so that benefits can reach them.

In the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, corona restrictions and lockdowns made a comeback, because of which a large number of workers and daily wage labourers lost their livelihoods. This had a direct impact on their food intake. So, states and UTs have also been told to run community kitchens for migrant workers till the pandemic situation continues.

On May 17, Gaon Connection published a report on how people in rural India were eating less, and many could not afford vegetables and pulses.

Also Read: Rising hunger stares rural India in the face as the second wave of COVID invades villages

To address the challenges arising out of the pandemic, food rights activists in Odisha wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on June 12 asking him to start community kitchens to feed the hungry and needy.

Also Read: Include free pulses and oil in PDS, provide work under MGNREGA; food rights activists write to Odisha CM

Last year, during the first wave of the pandemic, the Odisha government had set up community kitchens in every panchayat, each providing one cooked meal each day to around 100 persons.

This year, the Bihar government has set up such community kitchens in all its blocks —  these fed thousands of people on a daily basis amid the state-wide lockdown in May this year.

Also Read: Impressed by ‘Saran model’, CM Nitish Kumar instructs block-level community kitchens across Bihar