- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: On February 10, in her first address in the Rajya Sabha since taking office last April, Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party and MP, urged for an expedited Census, arguing that the four-year delay has deprived millions of social benefits, particularly food security.
She emphasized that 14 crore individuals are missing out on their entitled subsidized food grains due to the outdated 2011 Census data. “The beneficiary quota is still based on a census that is now over a decade old,” she stated.
Gandhi pointed out that the Census, which was scheduled for 2021, has been delayed for an unprecedented four years in Independent India. She noted the lack of clarity on when it will take place and expressed concerns that current budget allocations suggest it may not happen this year either.
Highlighting the achievements of the previous Congress-led UPA government, she referred to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013 as a significant initiative aimed at ensuring food and nutritional security for the nation’s 140 crore citizens. She credited the NFSA for laying the groundwork for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which helped protect millions from starvation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recalling the key aspects of the NFSA, she noted that it entitles 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to subsidized food grains. Gandhi concluded by stressing the need for the government to prioritize the completion of the Census to ensure all deserving individuals receive their entitled benefits under the NFSA, asserting that food security is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
