KM. THOKCHOM PREMLATA DEVI Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) . Heard Mr. M. Rakesh, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Additional Advocate General, appearing for the respondents.

(2.) . The issue raised in the present PIL is for non-supply of the entitled quantities of foodgrains, more particularly rice, from the month of December, 2019 till date, to the beneficiaries of Manipur State, such as every pregnant woman, lactating mother till 6 (six) months after child birth, every child in the age group of 6 (six) months to 6 (six) years and children who suffered from malnutrition as provided under the National Food Security Act, 2013 and Rules made thereunder.

(3.) . It may be mentioned herein that the purpose and object for enacting the National Food Security Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as FS Act, 2013 for short) and the Supplementary Nutrition (under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme) rules, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as Supplementary Rules, 2017 for short) have been enacted to provide, inter alia, for food and nutritional security, in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable price to people to live a life of dignity. To entitle every pregnant woman and lactating mother, every child upto age of 14 (fourteen) years and children suffering from malnutrition to meals, free of charge through Anganwadi, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in the Act and Rules. The said Act also provides to ensure that every eligible person is entitled to receive such food security allowance from concerned State Government to be paid to each person in case of non-supply of entitled quantities of foodgrains or meals, within the time and manner prescribed.