The Supreme Court today said that States cannot hide behind the lack of funds to not act on the drought crisis. The court also said that all drought-hit regions have to continue the midday meal scheme during the summer vacation even though schools are shut.


The court added, "The government is obligated to implement MNREGA, and states have to comply. There is no denying foodgrain on PDS for lack of documentation. States have to follow RBI guidelines on restructuring crop loans."

On Wednesday, the court said that Bihar,Gujarat and Haryana were hesitant to even acknowledge, leave alone address, a drought or a drought-like situation.

In a scathing 53-page verdict on the lack of will shown by the Centre and States in combating drought and saving lives, SC pronounced the Centre guilty of washing its hands of a national disaster that consumed one-fourth of the country. It also pulled up Gujarat, Bihar and Haryana for adopting an ostrich-like attitude towards declaring drought and driving their own people to suicide, starvation and mass migration.