By IANS,
Nagpur : Thousands of poor people and tribals marched to the collector’s office in Yavatmal district Wednesday to protest denial of food security to over 100,000 below poverty line (BPL) families, an activist said.
Tribals and poor people from Kelapur, Zari, Wani, Maregoan, Ralegoan and Ghatanji from Yavatmal district participated in the stir.
“All tribal and BPL families will oppose the proposed cash transfer scheme under PDS (Public Distribution System),” said Kishor Tiwari, president of farmer advocacy group Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS).
“We will move the Bombay High Court if the administration fails to provide food security to all eligible families,” he added.
Quoting a Supreme Court guideline and Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2001, Tiwari said state governments are required to get lists of BPL and Antyodaya families reviewed every year and delete ineligible families and include eligible families.
“Even after these guidelines, the Maharashtra government is following its own survey, which was carried out in 2002, thereby denying food security to ove one lakh BPL families,” he said.
Tiwari said that in Maharashtra, around five million BPL families identified by administration are denied food security.
The protesters submitted a memorandum with a complete list of tribal and BPL families to the district collector.
“We have also written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who has promised action,” Tiwari said.