The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has asked top state officials as to whether the food items being distributed to lactating mothers, pregnant women and children in the age bracket of six months to six years are strictly in terms of the legal provisions or not in Uttar Pradesh.
The court sought a specific response from the additional chief secretary/principal secretary and the director of U.P. Bal Vikas Sewa and Pushtahaar directorate. The court directed both the officers to appear before it through video conferencing on September 30 to reply to the same.
The order was passed by a division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Om Prakash Shukla on September 10 on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Pratyush Rawat and other persons. The petitioners raised the issue of compliance with the legal provision of food items to lactating mothers, pregnant women and children in the age bracket of 6 months to 6 years. In spite of the court’s earlier order dated July 18, 2024, no response has been filed by the state authorities on the application moved by the petitioners for interim relief in the matter.
The court said, “We would like to have the assistance of the additional chief secretary/principal secretary, department of Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahaar, Government of U.P., and the director, Directorate of Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahaar, U.P., Lucknow as to the compliance of Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the rules known as “Integrated Nutrition Support Programme- Shaksham Anganwadi and Poshan (2.0), Rules, 2022” which have been notified on 12.09.2022, in light of the pleadings on record, specially the affidavit in support of the application for interim directions”.
{{/usCountry}}The court said, “We would like to have the assistance of the additional chief secretary/principal secretary, department of Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahaar, Government of U.P., and the director, Directorate of Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahaar, U.P., Lucknow as to the compliance of Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the rules known as “Integrated Nutrition Support Programme- Shaksham Anganwadi and Poshan (2.0), Rules, 2022” which have been notified on 12.09.2022, in light of the pleadings on record, specially the affidavit in support of the application for interim directions”.
{{/usCountry}}“The officer shall specifically respond as to whether the food items being distributed to lactating mothers, pregnant women and children in the age bracket of 6 months to 6 years is strictly in terms of the aforesaid provisions of law or not. If the answer in the affirmative, then necessary proof shall be brought on record. The mechanism by which such food items are purchased and distributed shall also be explained to the court so that we may get the same verified through any central agency or any independent agency. If the opposite parties so desire, they may file their separate affidavits responding to the aforesaid application and what has been stated hereinabove,” the court ordered.
The counsel for the Union of India has filed the affidavit of reply in the matter. The court directed both the top state officers to go through the Centre’s reply before responding.
MANOJ KUMAR SINGH