Left out J&K e-Shram registrants to get new ration card

Jammu, Nov 15: Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) will issue new ration cards to J&K e-Shram registrants, if still are without coverage under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Public Distribution system (PDS).

Their inclusion will be in compliance to the orders of Supreme Court in suo moto writ petition of 2020 regarding “Problems and miseries of migrant labourers.”

However, the Department of FCS&CA has clarified that the inclusion of these registrants (e-Shram portal) or issuance of new ration cards under these schemes will be subject to their (registrants’) eligibility.

Identification of such registrants is to be made by the Department of FCS&CA and J&K Labour & Employment Department.

Notably, a three-judge bench of apex court, comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M R Shah, in its order on May 26, 2020, to suo moto writ petition (Civil) No 6/2020 in Re: Problems and miseries of migrant labourers had issued notice to the Union of India and all States and the Union Territories to submit their responses looking into the urgency of the matter.

“In compliance to orders of the Supreme Court in suo moto Writ Petition(C) No 6 of 2020, in case titled “In Re Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers”, it is hereby ordered that any J&K eShram registrant if still without coverage under NFSA and PDS shall be provided inclusion or new ration card under NFSA/PDS, as the case may be immediately subject to eligibility, if any such registrant is found on e-Shram portal or reports to any office of Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs or is identified by the Labour & Employment Department,” the Department of FCS&CA directed.

The copy of this order, besides others, was tagged by the Department to Rushab Aggarwal, Standing Counsel for UT of Jammu & Kashmir at Supreme Court of India for information.

Pertinent to mention here that through this writ petition, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognizance of problems and miseries of migrant labourers who had been stranded in different parts of the country during lockdown.