File report on committee’s advice implementation: Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay HC has asked the state government to file a brief report on whether it has taken any steps on recommendations of the Dr Swaminathan Committee.

A division bench of chief justice Manjula Chellur was hearing a PIL filed by Hemant Patil, chairman of NGO, Bharat against Corruption, which sought direction to the state to implement the commission’s report.

The  report recommends working out a strategy for food and nutrition security and sustainability and stability of farming, apart from measures to enhance the quality and cost competitiveness of farm commodities and to improve credit and marketing.

According to the PIL, Dr Swaminathan had urged the state to accept and implement the report with regard to minimum support price for grains, safeguarding small farmers’ interests, and the growing risk associated with taking up agriculture as a profession owing to adverse effects of climate change.

The bench rapped the petitioner for not attaching the commission’s report along with the plea and suggested that the petitioner do his research before filing such PILs.  

It questioned as to how many of the commission’s recommendations had been implemented since the time of filing of its report in 2004.