Activists upset with new Food Commission

Govt. officers would sit in judgment on their own acts, say Roy, Mander

Workers downloading rice bags before they are supplied to fair price shops.

The much awaited formation of the Food Commission in Rajasthan, with the appointment of government officers as its ex-officio chairperson and members, has left the social activists disappointed. Activists said this would result in the officers sitting in judgment on their own acts against which the complaints will be made to the Commission.

The State government has appointed Naveen Jain, Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department, as the Commission’s chairperson and the directors of five departments as its members. These departments are responsible for implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, in the State.

Write to Gehlot

Social activists Aruna Roy and Harsh Mander have shot off a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, pointing out that the Food Commission had been constituted in “gross violation” of the principles of natural justice, which dictated that no one should be a judge in their own cause. The complaints would be redirected to the very departments whose work was to be evaluated, said the activists.

“The intention behind establishing the Commission was that if the government does not implement or inadequately implements NFSA, depriving the exploited and vulnerable groups of its benefits, then there should be an independent body with the powers to hold the government accountable for the deficiencies,” the letter stated.

While the Commission could help eliminate hunger from the State, the ex-officio appointments were contrary to the spirit of laws, said the two activists. They said the Commission’s formation was ignored for the last seven years and it was eventually constituted “with a conflict of interest”.

Though the State government had followed the letter of the law in terms of qualifications and conditions of appointment of chairperson and members, the Commission in its present form could not monitor and evaluate the implementation of NFSA or investigate complaints. “Our question relates to whether an executing department will evaluate its own works and advise itself,” Ms. Roy and Mr. Mander said.

Hunger and pandemic

The letter reminded the Chief Minister of a recent survey of the Centre for Equity Studies and Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan, which had revealed that the scope of hunger had increased during the last nine months of COVID-19 pandemic and the consumption of edible items had decreased compared to the pre-lockdown period. The Food Commission’s role had assumed significance when the people were often forced to sleep on an empty stomach.

While asking what was the compulsion to appoint such a Commission, the activists demanded that an “active and independent” Food Commission be constituted in the State with the appointment of persons of eminence in public life who had the knowledge and experience in agriculture, human rights, food policy, health and social service. This will ensure proper implementation of the food security law and monitor the system.