Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Food Security
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6. The State Governments be asked to initiate timely advance action in the areas where food
scarcity occurs as a yearly phenomenon.
7. The monitoring system needs to be instituted. All the monitoring agencies could coordinate
with the NHRC.
8. NHRC could consider intervention in the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme.
9. Relief bonds could be issued by the Government, which may be purchased by the State
Governments and lead banks so as to ensure availability of adequate funds for
implementation of the programs.
6.6 The Commission received, as a follow up measure, the compliance report submitted by the
Government of Orissa and the Commission directed the Government to submit status report
with regard to the short-term and long-term measures. As a sequel to the Commission’s
recommendations the State of Orissa constituted a Committee to suggest amendments to the
Orissa Relief Code in March, 2005.
Responding to Suicides by Farmers in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
6.7 The Commission was apprised of the problem of suicides by farmers through joint petitions
from concerned individuals and a complaint by the South India Cell for Human Rights Education
and Monitoring that drew attention to the crop failures, mounting debts and droughts in the State
of Karnataka (Case No. 180/10/2003-2004). The Commission directed its Special Rapporteur
to conduct “an on-the-spot enquiry” and for his comments and also directed the Chief Secretary,
Karnataka and the Secretaries of the Union Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development
for comments and appropriate action.
6.8 The Commission conducted several hearings pertaining to the aforesaid petition and
motivated the parties to resort to action with a view to minimizing the possibilities of extreme
action by distressed farmers. The Commission considered the report of the Special Rapporteur
Shri K.R. Venugopal who is appreciative of the Karnataka State Government’s initiative relating
to opening of pre-school education centres, seeking expansion of the ICDS Scheme, release of
additional food grains under the Annapurna Scheme, issue of food-grains to the Anthyodaya
Anna Yojana Beneficiaries and formulate a draft Employment Guarantee Scheme etc.
6.9 The Commission finally disposed the case on the recommendations of Special Rapporteur
and also recommended that the material generated in the case be used as background material for
work in relation to ‘Right to Food’ for which Core-Group has already been constituted in 2004.
6.10 The issue of suicides by farmers of Andhra Pradesh was picked up suo-motu by the
Commission on the basis of a news items appearing in “The Hindu” in February 2004 reporting
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