TARATDAC stages protest over NFSA amendments

 Members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers staged a demonstration outside the Madurai district Collectorate, demanding the immediate withdrawal of proposed amendments to the National Food Security Act (NFSA). 

Protesters raised slogans against the Union Government, alleging that the new food law amendments violate both the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). 

A key demand raised during the agitation was the mandatory allocation of 35 kilograms of monthly food grains per family under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme for households with persons with disabilities.  

A. Balamurugan, district secretary of the association, highlighted that many such families face severe financial strain due to high medical expenses coupled with limited income opportunities, making basic food security a critical necessity. 

He emphasised the need for a comprehensive welfare coverage and urged the authorities to protect the fundamental food rights of disabled individuals and ensure the strict, full-scale implementation of all government schemes designed for their welfare.