SC asks states, UTs to implement ONORC scheme

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said states and union territories must implement "one nation, one ration card" (ONORC) scheme as it allows migrant workers to get ration at the place of their work in other states as well where their ration cards are not registered.

The top court also took strong note of the delay in development of a software meant to register workers of unorganized sector to create a national database and posed queries to the Centre as to how the benefit of free food grain till November this year under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna' would reach to migrant labourers having no ration cards.

A vacation bench comprising justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah also reserved its verdict on a fresh application filed by activists - Anjali Bharadwaj, Harsh Mander and Jagdeep Chhokar seeking directions to the Centre and states to ensure food security, cash transfers, transport facilities and other welfare measures for the migrant workers on grounds that they are in dire need for help as the crisis is bigger this time.

The bench asked the Centre, the petitioner activists and the states to file written notes in the matter.

The application was filed in the pending suo motu case of 2020 on the issue of problems faced by migrant workers due to curbs clamped in country amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that states like Delhi, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Assam have not implemented the 'one nation, one ration card" (ONORC) scheme so far.

The counsel for Delhi, however, opposed the submission saying it has been implemented.