GUWAHATI, Oct 1 � Although the percentage of landless and marginal farmers makes a substantial proportion of the State's subjects whose hunger cannot be satiated by the produce off their own land as agriculture is rain or river fed and the staple grain rice can be grown only during the Kharif season, yet BPL food grain is supplied to only 27 percent of the population.
As per the record of the State Department of Economics and Statistics, out of the 25.88 lakh farming families (estimated) 29.1 percent are small farmers and 62.22 percent are marginal farmers. Officially, 36 per cent of the population in Assam lives below the poverty line.
In view of the discrepancy in food grain supplied to the State and the percentage of BPL population, the Office of Advisor to Supreme Court Commissioners, Assam on Friday called upon the State Government to demand of the Centre increased allotment of rations for all the BPL families as per the Supreme Court orders in the right to food case.
Dr Sunil Kaul, Advisor to the Supreme Court Commissioners, Assam said that with a growing food emergency and spiraling prices of all essential commodities, the right step for the government of Assam would be to demand additional quantity of food grain as per the Supreme Court orders. �The State Government should increase the allotment of rations by requesting the Centre to provide increased rations so that all the poor and marginal populace is covered,� he said.
Although a large section of the population has been struggling for a decent meal, tonnes of foodgrains are rotting in the FCI godowns. Dr Kaul said that in an affidavit before the apex court, the Centre has mentioned that 12,418 tonnes of foodgrains stored in FCI godowns were damaged as on August 1.
GUWAHATI, Oct 1 � Although the percentage of landless and marginal farmers makes a substantial proportion of the State's subjects whose hunger cannot be satiated by the produce off their own land as agriculture is rain or river fed and the staple grain rice can be grown only during the Kharif season, yet BPL food grain is supplied to only 27 percent of the population.
As per the record of the State Department of Economics and Statistics, out of the 25.88 lakh farming families (estimated) 29.1 percent are small farmers and 62.22 percent are marginal farmers. Officially, 36 per cent of the population in Assam lives below the poverty line.
In view of the discrepancy in food grain supplied to the State and the percentage of BPL population, the Office of Advisor to Supreme Court Commissioners, Assam on Friday called upon the State Government to demand of the Centre increased allotment of rations for all the BPL families as per the Supreme Court orders in the right to food case.
Dr Sunil Kaul, Advisor to the Supreme Court Commissioners, Assam said that with a growing food emergency and spiraling prices of all essential commodities, the right step for the government of Assam would be to demand additional quantity of food grain as per the Supreme Court orders. �The State Government should increase the allotment of rations by requesting the Centre to provide increased rations so that all the poor and marginal populace is covered,� he said.
Although a large section of the population has been struggling for a decent meal, tonnes of foodgrains are rotting in the FCI godowns. Dr Kaul said that in an affidavit before the apex court, the Centre has mentioned that 12,418 tonnes of foodgrains stored in FCI godowns were damaged as on August 1.
