SC raps Guj, other states for not implementing central schemes

"Does Gujarat want to breakaway from India," asked the Supreme Court today, as it took several states to task for non-implementation of central welfare schemes like the national food security act, saying they cannot "disobey" laws cleared by Parliament.
The apex court, in particular, was more critical of Gujarat's that the law "was being implemented" and asked: "Does Gujarat want to breakaway from India? A law is passed by Parliament. Can a state say that it will not follow the law?"
"What is Parliament doing? What is Government of India doing? Is Gujarat not a part of India? The Act says it extends to whole of India and Gujarat is not implementing it. Tomorrow somebody can say that it is not going to implement the CrPC, IPC and the Evidence Act," a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said.

The remarks came during the hearing of a PIL filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, run by people like psephologist Yogendra Yadav, when Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, said nine states, including Gujarat, and union territories have not implemented the Act as yet.
The PIL has sought implementation of various welfare schemes for families in 12 drought-hit states.
The bench also asked the Centre to collect and collate information from these states on the status of welfare schemes like MGNREGA, National Food Security and mid-day meal and asked it to file an affidavit by February 10 and posted the matter for further hearing two days thereafter.

The Solicitor General said out of 12 states, the names of which have been provided by the NGO, Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana have not declared drought.
The apex court had on January 18 asked the Centre to give information about implementation of schemes under MGNREGA, Food Security Act and the mid-day meal schemes as to whether those affected were being provided the minimum required employment and food or not.
The PIL alleged that parts of states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh had been hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief.