At the very outset on ONORC, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri PS Golay would like to categorically state that it firmly abides to uphold the sanctity of the sacred Article 371 (f) of the Constitution of India, a culmination of the salient 8th May Tripartite Agreement.
While a formidable opposition and constructive dissent is the key to a vibrant Democracy whereas obstructive politics will weaken the very fabric that binds our society. Politics should not be practiced just for the mere sake of staying relevant in the public domain by cooking up imaginary cuisines to feed the fanciful state of mind. Sikkim is today traumatized by the lousy opinions concocted by feeble intellectuals and politicos who are working with an aim to confuse the masses and weaken the Democratic foundation where our State proudly stands. Yesterday, they were smothering the public with a different issue and today they are smudging the people with the deliberate One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) smear campaign.
▪︎One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) is a flagship scheme of the BJP led NDA Government aimed at enabling migrant workers and their family members to buy subsidized ration from any fair price shop anywhere in India under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
▪︎ONORC will also put an end to the misuse of ration cards and fraudulent beneficiaries. It will promote transparency and accountability for the distribution of food grains under the public distribution system.
▪︎ Migrant workers residing away from their native place can avail themselves of the benefits. The Sikkimese who are residing anywhere in India will be entitled to avail themselves of the benefits.
The Supreme Court had set July 31st, 2021 as the deadline for the implementation of ONORC, directing the Centre and the States.
In a suo motu matter titled ” In Re: Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers” a case in close conjunction with the difficulties faced by migrant workers who were stranded in the different parts of the country amid pandemic Covid 19. The apex court had pronounced the following judgement, ” A Government cannot abdicate its duty to feed migrant workers especially during a pandemic, merely because they don’t have a ration card”. Therefore directing States to quickly implement ONROC by 31st July 2021 vide judgement directing all States and Union Territories to register all establishments and license all contractors under the Act, 1979 and ensure that statutory duty imposed on the Contractors give particulars of Migrant workers is fully complied with.
The SKM Government is not only following the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court but it is also implementing a rather humanitarian approach in dealing with migrant labourers and their basic fundamental rights particularly in conjunction with episodes of pandemic Covid 19 which is here to stay.
We would like to humbly request the people of Sikkim to not be influenced by master manipulators who will go to any extent to further their political agenda. The public of Sikkim are capable enough to carry out their own research and understand the situation pertaining to ONORC and 371(f). 371 (f) is the soul of Sikkim and no force on Earth can detach it.
Originally written by Milan Basnett, who is also Head SKM Social Media Cell. He can be contacted on Facebook.
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