Updates

The Secretariat of the Right to Food Campaign circulates via email regular updates covering a sample of the latest campaign-related news around the country. The campaign also used to maintains a separate set of rozgar updates which focus on the Employment Guarantee Act. 

To sign up for RTF Updates, please contact the secretariat at righttofoodindia@gmail.com or directly sign-up here. 


The next convention is scheduled from 23-25th September 2016 in Ranchi.
From 1-10 June 2016, a survey of NFSA in 6 of India's poorest states in Eastern India was conducted by student volunteers
On 26-27 July an NFSA review meeting will be held at Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi.
The Supreme Court in May delivered a historic judgment in the Swaraj Abhiyan case (full judgement)
The 7th Pay Commission has a 25% increase in salary for government officials. In contrast MGNREGA workers have received a measly 3%
Under the NFSA, every pregnant and lactating mother is entitled to Rs 6000 as maternity entitlements.
In mid-June, The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) was released. India ranks 114 out of 132 countries for under-5 stunting
In Rajasthan, activists of the SR Abhiyan embarked on a ‘Jawab Do’ dharna after a 100 day Jawab Dehi (Accountability) Yatra.


On 1st February, the Supreme Court based on petition by Swaraj Abhiyan pulled up the centre and 8 drought-hit states
he Supreme Court has issued notice to the Ministry of Rural Development based on a PIL filed by activists on the NREGA
Activists contend that 2015 was the worst year for the NREGAand around 12 states show a negative list, without enough funds to pay wages
Last year, the Central government had announced that drought-affected states would receive 150 days work in total
The next steering committee meeting of the campaign is scheduled for 15th February in Badu, West Bengal.
The campaign recently achieved the milestone of 10,000 “likes” on facebook.
There has been a spate of starvation deaths in the news recently, especially with the 65 deaths in the tea gardens of West Bengal
In mid-December, two nutrition reports were released The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) and India Health Report on Nutrition
The recently concluded World Trade Organisation Tenth Ministerial negotiations ended in disappointment
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Ministry of Rural Development based on a PIL filed in the Supreme Court
After substantial across-the-board budget cuts for social sector programs , allocations for the ICDS has been marginally increased
A campaign delegation attended the South Asia dialogue on Right to Food in Dhaka, from 23rd to 25th
The Campaign issued a statement in solidarity with the protests against the unofficial economic blockade of Nepal
Bangladesh plans to enact a Food Law with the Law Commission tasked with preparing a draft law
As a next step to build a fledgling South Asia Right to Food network, a meeting is planned in Badu, West Bengal


This updated map and this detailed table depict the rollout of the NFSA
Uttar Pradesh, where 50 of the 75 districts have been affected by deficit rainfall, was to launch the NFSA on 1st December 2015
In Odisha, the NFSA was officially rolled-out on 2nd October and subsidised grain was distributed from early November
In Jharkhand, the NFSA was formally launched on 25th September, but the distribution of new ration cards has been fraught
In Jammu and Kashmir, there has been opposition to the NFSA by opposition parties and citizens who have taken to the streets
The West Bengal government has announced that it will expand the coverage to 80-85% of the population eligible
The Supreme Court has sought responses of the Centre and 8 drought-hit states on a petition by Swaraj Abhiyan
The Food Ministry had proposed the winding-up the AAY category but it has been dropped. See original and modified orders
With an uproar in Parliament, the central government has instructed states to provide pulses in the PDS
UID SC Order | Nobel Prize | Anda Abhiyan Karnataka | Maharashtra Convention | Starvation Deaths | UT Cash Transfer | 10 years RTI

The Supreme Court, has allowed the use of aadhaar for PDS, NREGA, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and others
The Nobel Prize for Economics this year has been awarded to Angus Deaton who has written extensively on nutrition in India
In an interview the Minister of Women and Child Development was quoted as lamenting the halving of her Ministry's budget
Even after the NFSA has been rolled out, 2 cases of starvation deaths have been reported in the media in Chhattisgarh and Odisha
The government has also issued a gazette notification on cash transfers in lieu of food security allowance
The government has ordered a nationwide review of the NREGA
The forthcoming Tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO is in Nairobi, Kenya, between December 15-18th 2015
To mark the 10th anniversary of India's pioneering Right to Information Act there have been a series of media articles



Update (2 October 2015):



This map shows the rollout of the NFSA across India.
From 1-11 October, the Jharkhand campaign with others have launched a Jan Adhikar Yatra across 4 different routes
The West Bengal campaign has organised an extensive awareness yatra from 26th September - 9th October on 5 routes
The NFSA in Odisha will be rolled-out with the distribution of ration cards on 2nd October
Chhattisgarh which has its own food security legislation plans a Jan Adhikar Yatra in November
The Bihar campaign had organised an extensive Jan Adhikar Yatra from Gaya to Samastipur from 26th July to 5th August 2015
The NFSA was implemented in Tripura and Meghalaya in September
the Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan organised a public hearing on 22nd of September, 2015 at the Gandhi Peace Foundation.
On 1st September, DBT was to be launched in 3 union territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry and Dadra and Nagar Haveli
The Odisha government has increased the NREGA cap to 200 days per household


May Day Mazdoor Diwas NREGA Protests | #Haq Wapsi | UID in SC | Bihar NFSA | Puducherry Rice

Four campaigns held a joint dharna on the 23rd and 24th of April, 2015 in Delhi on the theme “Ghar Wapsi Nahi, Haq Wapsi
The government has “illegally” delayed the National Food Security Act for the third time to 30th September 2015
The Ministry of Rural Development has announced that Aadhaar (UID) will compulsory for all NREGA workers from 1 April 2015
The Puducherry state government has wound up the largest PDS cash transfer initiative in the country for 3 lakh families
The government has re-promulgated the land ordinance on 3rd April
In Jharkhand, NREGA workers have received only 37 days in 2014-15 and over 30% of wage payments have been delayed
On 1st and 2nd May across atleast 10 districts the Rozi Roti Adhikar Manch stormed block and district offices in Uttar Pradesh
The Bihar state campaign organised a press conference on the eve of labour day to press for NREGA demands.
Protests and dharnas to commemorate Mazdoor Diwas took place n West Bengal and Odisha as well
'Mazdoor Divas' was commemorated by a series of protest of workers (photos) from 16 blocks of 4 districts of Chhattisgarh




The Ministry of Rural Development clarifies that “registration of demand for work shall not be denied under any circumstances”
Food Ministry extends implementation deadline for the National Food Security Act for the third time, to 30 September 2015
The Food Ministry has sent letters to all states to digitize their databases 
The Supreme Court wants the Centre to reply within 4 weeks to a PIL on the validity of the land acquisition ordinance
Joint dharna of four networks and campaigns on the 23rd and 24th of April, 2015 at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi 
Madhya Pradesh letter to the Joint Secretary on NREGA work without aadhaar
A workshop on the implementation of the NFSA was held in Delhi to be followed by grievance redressal camps
5 state campaigns - Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal organised a pan-Eastern region meeting in Raipur
Jharkhand state campaign’s Anda Abhiyan pressurises the government to sanction 3 eggs a week in the school midday meal 
The Bombay High Court order on the NFSA PIL dated 13 Feb 2015 and SECC website insist on a district level communication plan
The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered that neither Aadhaar nor bank account nor voter card is compulsory for ration cards
The Puducherry government plans to replace 10 kilos of rice with Rs 300 in aadhaar-seeded bank accounts of 3 lakh families


Week of Action | Budget Cuts | Cash Transfers | PM on NREGA | Land Ordinance | Maharashtra morcha | Bengal Workshop

The campaign has sent questions (English | Hindi) to Parliamentarians and plans to organise a “week of action” (English | Hindi).
The campaign has issued a press statement (English | Hindi)
The government has been insisting on aadhar as a precondition for pilots in the public distribution system (PDS) 
The Shantha Kumar High Level Committee recommends reducing the NFSA coverage (press statement and annexures)
The Prime Minister made a startlingly unstatesmanlike statement on NREGA which is a lifeline for one-third of rural India
More than 20,000 farmers, workers, tribals organised a maha-rally in Delhi (photos, press release, memorandum to the President) 
The Jharkhand state campaign had organised a convention on right to food and work (Photos, Media Coverage).
On the slogan अच्छे दिन आ गए हैं, ग़रीब का राशन खा गए हैं। Anna Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA) in Maharashtra has planned a morcha.
The West Bengal Right to Food Network is organising a workshop for the “Vigilance and Monitoring Committee" on the PDS 

Update (20 February 2015):
There is a serious fund squeeze due to illegal capping and rationing of funds released to the states. 
After the 2nd December maha-rally, the next meeting of the joint convergence solidarity initiative was held on 13th February
Jharkhand's Dal-Bhat Yojana has revived to provide low cost subsidised meals after 9 months of closure 
On 2nd February, a dharna was organised on MGNREGA and NFSA across 9 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The Socio-Economic and Caste Census draft list have been displayed some districts in Maharashtra with appalling lack of outreach 
The Gujarat Anna Suraksha Adhikar Abhiyan from 23rd February onwards in collaboration with the Zameen Adhikar Abhiyan 


Update (28 December 2014):

Abki Baar Humara Adhikar Maha-Rally | NFSA Bihar SC/ST | #SaveNREGA | Jan Elaan | SECC Delayed | Eggs in Telangana

On 2nd December, more than 15,000 protesters converged in a maha-rally in New Delhi
In the run-up to the Jharkhand assembly elections, on 20 November “Jan Elaan” Meeting was organised
On 15 December, more than a thousand people from 20 districts and 65 organisations gathered in Jaipur, RajasthanAfter the cabinet reshuffle, the new rural development minister had confirmed there will be no dilution of NREGA
The SECC to identify beneficiaries under NFSA 2013, is more than two years behind its scheduled completion
The Bihar government has accepted that all Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households will automatically included
Based on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court , here is the affidavit filed by the State Government
By September 2014, the draft list had been published in 16 districts of West Bengal but the data was riddled with errors
The Chhattisgarh state campaign on 12 December organised a state level public dialogue on the public distribution system
The Food Minister after a meeting with state food secretaries announced the 4 April 2015 deadline
The government in the new state of Telangana in its latest budget has allotted Rs 221 crore to boost nutrition with eggs
The Rural Development Minister has proposed sweeping changes in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
The Central government has again extended the deadline for the implementation of the NFSA 2013 by 6 months to 4 April 2015
The HRD Ministry Standing Committee is seeking suggestions on the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme
The Uttar Pradesh state campaign has had monthly meetings and has been on the streets protesting almost every month
Based on the PIL the Bombay High Court on 24th September has ordered the state government to submit a progress report
The Karnataka state campaign has organised a meeting on 3rd November
Here is a more detailed map of eggs served in schools and anganwadis and othernutritious items such as milk and fruits
After Jharkhand's ‘Anda Abhiyan’ (parchas, photos) the state government has announced eggs and fruit three times a week.
The Bihar government recently announced that in a mission-mode children eggs will be given twice a week in aganwadis
Puducherry is the only region where children receive breakfast in government schools of 100 ml of boiled milk 
In Karnataka, 2.6 lakh children in schools are given a glass of milk thrice a week with Bisi Oota (mid-day meals)
In Odisha, the state serves eggs twice a week in school lunches and anganwadis which has boosted attendance and retention. 
In West Bengal children receive an egg in schools and half an egg in anganwadis once a week.
In Andhra Pradesh, eggs or banana are also served twice a week in school and four times a week in anganwadis
In Maharashtra a similar pilot has been started in rural schools of Pune district.
Arunachal Pradesh serves eggs thrice a week, while Assam and Tripura provide it twice a week.
Unfortunately the Food Processing Minister had asked PepsiCo to introduce ready-to-eat foods in midday meals 


Public Hearing in New Delhi | West Bengal Starvation Deaths | Jharkhand's 'Godam Kholo, Anaj Banto' | WTO Veto

Five national campaigns organised a public hearing in Delhi - invite, concept note, press release and some photos
The campaign organised a press conference after the budget - press statement, short film and an analysis of the budget speech
A fact-finding team to investigate starvation deaths in West Bengal - photos, report, letter to the Government and media coverage
In Jharkhand villagers marched with the slogan ‘Godam Kholo, Anaj Banto’ - press release (English | Hindi), memorandum and photos. At a public hearing, the NREGA Sahayata Kendra exposed 6 middlemen trying to embezzle money - photos, press note (English | Hindi)
In Jharkhand, there was also a state-level planning meeting - invite and press release
A draft compilation from the states where the NFSA has been launched and the status of implementation
The Indian government exercised its veto and refused to sign the Trade Facilitation Agreement at the WTO
The office of the Supreme Court commissioner's on right to food has drafted a suggestive set of model rules
An intensive participatory planning is going to be conducted in 2500 Blocks of the country - details available here
The final Supreme Court order on the minimum wage case in Karnataka is a mixed judgement.
336 NREGA workers in Jharkhand receive unemployment allowance and for the first-time its recovered from officials - photo here

NFSA Deadline Extended by 3 months | Anda Abhiyan in Jharkhand and campaigns across states | Film on 'Universal Food Security'

Special update on The National Food Security Act, 2013 in the run-up to 5th July 2014 - the nationwide implementation deadline
The new government has arbitrarily extended the deadline by three months
On 4th July the Jharkhand campaign launched an ‘Anda Abhiyan’ - press release (English | Hindi), parchas, photos
On 9th June dharnas to demand the implementation of NFSA were held in 4 districts - photos
On 10th June, the Bihar Right to Food Campaign members met with the Chief Minister
The Delhi government has re-started ‘accepting’ applications from vulnerable groups
The Madhya Pradesh government has created Samagra - an online database of all social welfare schemes
On 5th July, the West Bengal campaign plans to meet the Food Minister and highlight the recent starvation deaths
The Chhattisgarh government has amended its Food Act for families with more than 7 members to receive additional 5kgs of grain
There is a new provision in the NREGA MIS on pending payments on each individual e-job cards
Unemployment allowance was disbursed to 120 MGNREGA workers in Giridih district of Jharkhand
Odisha government has launched a ‘convergent programme to tackle malnutrition’ in PVTG concentrated areas
In Jharkhand, the RTFC Secretariat and Pradan conducted a similar field visit to the Sunderpahari block, Godda district



A new "rainbow primer" in Hindi, covering nine food-related laws and schemes was prepared for Jharkhand and an all-India version
The Eastern Region Meeting is in May in Ranchi (invitation, tentative schedule) and the Steering Group meeting in Delhi in June
RTI applications have been filed to find out the status of NFSA in UP and district wide demonstrations have been held
Odisha has generated 696 lakh man-days of work at the cost of Rs 1278 crore (USD 212 million) under the MGNREGA, 2005
38 villages in Sarguja have got community forests rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006
May Day celebrations took place in Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal
Filmmaker Manasi Pingle has made a film Working Hands on the MGNREGA, 2005
 Based on the 10-state PEEP survey in 2013, here is an evaluation of social security pensions


Socio Economic Caste Census Verification | Jaipur Jan Samvad | Delhi Ration-Pension Yatra

Verifications of the socio-economic and caste census were done in Bihar (Katihar and Muzaffarpur) and Jharkhand (Deoghar)
On 7th April more than 7,000 people from across Rajasthan gathered at Udyog Maidan in Jaipur for a day-long Jan Samwad
Before the election, the Right to Food Campaign and Pension Parishad organised a week-long Ration-Pension yatra
The RTF Campaign has sent endorsement-cum-pledge letters (English | Hindi) to candidates of all political parties
Jan Awaaz is being shaped as a space for a ‘non party political formation’ based on see concept note (Hindi | English) and website
The Secretariat has shifted office in New Delhi to Green Park
Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) has developed Report Cards on the performance of all the Members of Parliament
Food Security Watch Odisha has released its third edition of the Food Security Watch
The National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights conducted a fact-finding mission in Godda district of Jharkhand
The FAO is organising an online debate (summary of discussions) on the 10th anniversary of the “Right to Food Guidelines”
The Right to Food Campaign endorsed the CSO Declaration for the International Conference of Nutrition 2
News and Research


5th National Convention in Gujarat | www.righttofoodcampaign.in | new MGNREGA wage rates and much more

The 5th National Convention of the Right to Food Campaign was held from 1st-3rd March 2014 at Dalit Shakti Kendra in Gujarat
At the convention, the campaign launched its new website www.righttofoodcampaign.in
The campaign has also launched several primers. To order, please send an email to righttofoodindia@gmail.com
Each participant also received leaflets on the National Food Security Act: Summary and Campaign Demands and more
The new MGNREGA wage rates, applicable from 1st April 2014 have been notified and other important orders
The Bombay High Court Order of 12 March 2014 on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by a member of the Anna Adhikar Abhiyan
The Jaganyacha Hakkache Andolan (Movement for Right to Live) in Maharashtra organized a ‘Dhoran Badala’ on 24th February
The Public Evaluation of Entitlement Programmes (PEEP 2013) has been released as an Outlook cover story (English | Hindi)
Jagori has initiated an Indian Womanifesto which calls on all candidates for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections
The AHRC has received information regarding 193 children starving to death in Tharpakar district of Pakistan
Olivier de Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food presented his final report
News and Research



The 3rd announcement with a detailed schedule of the programme and important logistical details is released
The national convention the local organising committee invites you for an Asli Gujarat Ki Yatra
Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ), a member of Anna Adhikar Abhiyan has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
The Kaam Mango Abhiyan launched across the country on 2nd February 2014 had 60,000 workers demand work in Jharkhand
CSOs prepared a Children’s Manifesto titled ‘Elections 2014: What political parties must commit to children’ to all political parties
Pension Parishad organise a Maharashtra Public Hearing/Jan Sunwai on Social Security Pensions on Monday 10th February
The NCPRI in partnership with several other progressive movements formed a coalition called the Lok Sansad
News and Research

Poverty Line in Gujarat from circular in December 2013 is Rs 11 per day in rural areas
In Maharashtra the next convention of the Jaganyachya Hakkache Andolan (Movement for the Right to Live) is planned on 24th Feb
The Sajha Manch have proposed a draft National Urban Right to Work Bill
Events
NFSA launched in Bihar and Maharashtra on 1 Feb | WTO booklet in Hindi | Asli Gujarat ki Yatra

An Asli Gujarat Ki Yatra will be organised on 1-3 March 2014
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh are organising their state conventions before the national convention
Anna Adhikar Abhiyan in Mahasrahtra met the governor to press for their demands for the National Food Security Act, 2013
National Food Security Act, 2013 will be launched in Madhya Pradesh on 1 March 2013 based on a Right to Information (RTI)
At the launch of the Act on 1st Feb 2014 in Bihar, a state convention was organised against the inclusion and an exclusion criterion
 The Rajasthan government has issued a regressive clarification for certain families to be automatically excluded
The Rashtriya Mazdoor Adhikar Morcha protest against the amendments to reduce the compensation for delayed payment of wages
The Right to Food Campaign has published a booklet in Hindi on the World Trade Organisation on food security
Pension Parishad plans to organise a Maharashtra Public Hearing/Jan Sunwai on
 Social Security Pensions on Monday 10th February
Oxfam International recently released a global food index where India figures among 30 countries at the bottom
Events
News and Research



Right to Food Campaign's 5th National Convention in Gujarat

Implementation of National Food Security Act in Maharashtra

Additional 50 days' employment in MGNREGA for ST households living in forest areas who have received land rights under FRA

Letter of Working Group for Children Under Six to Jharkhand Government on notice inviting tenders for production of THR

Public Hearing on 17 January in Delhi, organised by Pension Parishad

Report of the state of food schemes in eight backward districts of Andhra Pradesh

Second Issue of Food Security Watch Newsletter

Events Calendar

News and research


Update (31 December 2013): 



Kaam Mango Abhiyan will extend across the country on 2nd February 2014

Delhi Pension Parishad has sent a letter to the new Chief Minister

Anna Adhikar Abhiyan has planned a mass dharna on 9th January at Azad Maidan

Bihar government has announced the criteria to identify eligible household under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA, 2013)

Odisha government has announced in newspapers only an exclusion criteria (English) under NFSA, 2013

Events Calendar

News and research


Update (25 December 2013): 



The Right to Food Campaign's Fifth National Convention on the Right to Food and Work would be from 1-3 March 2014 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

The 'Organisational Convention' of the RTF Campaign was held on 19th and 20th of December at Guruji Ashram in New Delhi

The Pension Parishad held a dharna for more than three weeks at Jantar Mantar with 300 elderly to demand universal pensions

The Right to Food Campaign, West Bengal after the state level convention on 13-14 December 2013 will organise a series of regional and district level meetings

The Anna Adhikar Abhiyan organised a mass protest on 9th January 2014 in Mumbai on the National Food Security Act, 2013

The Chhattisgarh Food Security Act, 2012 has increased the number of ration cards from approximately 35 to 65 lakhs households

The Right to Food Campaign, Odisha has prepared a detailed report of the visits of its fact-finding teams across seven districts

Events

News and Research


Update (18 December 2013): 



'Kaam Maango Abhiyan' has been launched to strengthen the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

MPJ (Maharashtra), a member of Anna Adhikar Abhiyan,sent a letter to the Chief Minister (Marathi)
Rally in front of the state assembly was organised by the Odisha Shramjeevee Manch (OSM)
Events

Update (10 December 2013): 

RTF Updates: National Food Security Act 2013, WTO, Compensation for Delayed NREGA Wages and more

Campaign releases statement on safeguards while negotiating at the WTO Bali Ministerial
Government Cracks Whip on Delays in NREGA Payments for Khunti Workers
The 'National Convention' of the Right to Food Campaign is being planned for the 1st week of March
An 'Organisational Convention' will be held in mid-December



Archive of RTF Updates (since 2003)



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