This informative training session was led by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) for our PEC activists and volunteers who work directly with the most vulnerable communities within our society.
In the toolkit provided by the CSJ, it stipulates that the aim of the training session was to gain an understanding of the emerging rights based issues in context of of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Some of the Central Government Schemes discussed were :
– PM Garib Kalyan Yojna / Jan Dhan Yojna scheme, women who have registered will receive Rs. 500 per month for 3 months from April to June 2020. However the issue here is that most Jan Dhan accounts require unfreezing of inactive accounts.
– Ration for Non-Ration Card Holders – the Gram Panchayat* can use village funds to maintain a stock of 200kg rice, 25-50kg dal and some vegetables for those needing food. People needing food should request this directly from the Gram Panchayat Bhawan.
– Nutritional Food delivery to: pregnant women, nursing mothers and children from 6 months to 6 years, to be supplied with supplementary nutrition (Matru Shakti and Balshakti packages) directly to their doorstep.
– Midday Meal – under this scheme, school students are entitled to receive 4kg rice and 800g dal (primary students) 6kg rice and 1.2kg dal (upper primary students) for 40 days, delivered to their homes.
– Ujjwala Scheme sets out to provide free gas cylinders for 3 months to eligible women from special vulnerable groups in the BPL ration card category. However this is restricted to only 5 women from each village.
– PM Kisan Yojna is a relief package offered to Farmers who have Aadhaar linked bank accounts and they are entitled to receive a one-off advance of Rs. 2000. However this scheme does not support those not registered under this scheme and therefore excludes labourers without land.
– Food Basket Scheme & Ann Brahm Yojna to be provided by the Ration Shops:
Non-card holders are entitled to 3.5 kg wheat, 1.5 kg rice, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg salt and 1 kg dal (free) per person
Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders are entitled to 1 kg salt, 1 kg dal, 3.5 kg wheat and 1.5 kg rice (free) per person.
Above Poverty Line (APL) card holders are entitled to 1 kg sugar and 1 kg salt (free) per person.
Antyoday card holders are entitled to 25 kg wheat, 10 kg rice, and 1 kg dal, 1kg sugar and 1 kg refined iodine salt (free) per month from April to June.
Priority Household card holders are entitled to 3.5 kg wheat, 1.5 kg rice, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg salt and 1 kg dal per family.
– Daily Midday Meal provisions for Children of Standard 1st to 8th and the list of children is provided by school teachers.
Standard Grades 1 to 5 – Rs. 4.95 cooking cost – 100 gram ration
Standard Grades 6 to 8 – Rs. 6.95 cooking cost – 150 gram ration
Useful contacts and online complaint forums for National Commissions:
1) National Human Rights Commission
Manav Adhikar Bhawan Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi, DELHI – 110023 Telephone: 011-24651330 Telephone Directory: https://nhrc.nic.in/contact-us/directory-of-officers Email: registrar-nhrc@nic.in | cr.nhrc@nic.in Website: www.nhrc.nic.in Online Complaint: https://hrcnet.nic.in/HRCNet/public/webcomplaint.aspx
2) National Commission for Women
Plot-21, Jasola Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110025 Telephone: 011- 26944880 | 011- 26940148 Telephone Directory: http://ncw.nic.in/commission/telephone-directory Email: ncw@nic.in | complaintcell-ncw@nic.in Website: www.ncw.nic.in Online Complaint: http://ncwapps.nic.in/onlinecomplaintsv2/
3) National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
5th Floor, Chanderlok Building, 36 Janpath New Delhi-110001 Telephone Directory: https://ncpcr.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=94&lid=15 Email: cp.ncpcr@nic.in Website: www.ncpcr.gov.in Online Complaint: http://www.ebaalnidan.nic.in/
4) National Commission for Scheduled Castes
5th Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi-110003 Telephone: 800118888 Telephone Directory: http://ncsc.nic.in/contactus Email: ncsccomplaints@gmail.com Website: www.ncsc.nic.in
5) National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
6th Floor, B-Wing, Loknayak Bhavan, Khan Market New Delhi -110003 Telephone: 011-24364816,011-24363821 Telephone Directory: https://ncst.nic.in/content/head-office Email: secy@ncst.nic.in Website: www.ncst@nic.in
6) National Commission for Minorities
3rd Floor, Block-3, CGO Complex New Delhi 110 003 Telephone: 011-24364816,011-24363821 Telephone Directory: http://www.ncm.nic.in/homepage/contactus.php Email: chairman-ncm@nic.in Website: www.ncm.nic.in
Many Thanks to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) for this information and invaluable training session.
Peace and Equality Cell 