SHILLONG: The implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) will include all genuine citizens of the State, whether tribal or non-tribal, provided that the intended beneficiaries fulfill the criteria of the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011.
In a reply to the call attention motion by Jemino Mawthoh (UDP) on Wednesday, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Zenith Sangma, who replied on behalf of Clement Marak who was absent, said, “The beneficiaries under the NFSA have been identified from the data base of SECC which makes no division between a tribal and a non-tribal.”
“The department is taking measures to see that only genuine citizens of the State are included and the claims and objections process is being carried out in all districts and sub-divisions,” Sangma said. Sangma informed that deputy commissioners and SDOs have been instructed to carry out the claims and objections, along with physical verification and also with the help of EPIC card as a means to ensure that only genuine citizens of Meghalaya are included as beneficiaries under NFSA.
Earlier, while moving the motion, Mawthoh had claimed that the implementation of the scheme was faulty and tardy.
