The first meeting of the reconstituted Core Group on Right to Food was held in the Commission on 13 January 2006. The meeting was attended by Dr. V. Prakash, Director, CFTRI, Mysore, Shri Raj Kumar Sharma, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, Government of Orissa, Mr. Babu Mathew; Country Director, Action Aid India, Dr. S.N. Shukla and Dr. Amrita Rangasami, Director, Centre for the Study of Administration of Relief. The Chairperson, Members, Shri K.R. Venugopal, Special Rapporteur and senior officers of the NHRC were also present.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, said that the primary aim of the meeting was to generate a discussion so that suggestions emerge for a Plan of Action. He stated that the Commission wishes to put the State in a position whereby it understands the existing lacunae and what needs to be done so that there are no starvation deaths/suicides. He referred to Article 11(2) of the International Convention on Social and Economic Rights, which talks of freedom from hunger. He said that the use of the word freedom and its linkage with hunger is a mismatch as even the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women talks of adequate nutrition during the pregnancy of women.
The meeting deliberated on the food situation of the country ways and means to make the Right to Food a reality to the common man .
§ Food security
To understand the food security scenario of the country the meeting suggested that there is a need to:- monitor the food distribution cycle on the basis of population and region wise , maintain and update a database of the food stock market, explore public private partnership, adopt an effective transportation , communication and delivery system for food grains especially in the rural areas, identify the hot spots where hunger exists and put in place mechanisms to tackle the problem. The need to draw up a Short term and Long term Plan of Action at the regional and national level respectively to combat hunger was also stressed.
It was also felt that public health, education and institutional credit delivery systems should be revamped and made to deliver so that non-functioning in these three vital areas does not endanger the Right to Food. The meeting also highlighted the need to make available on humanitarian grounds food grains to the needy, particularly the weaker sections of society viz the tribals and migrant labourers. Introducing livelihood linked employment programmes and adopting short-term strategies like opening of nutrition centres at short notice to avert hunger related mortality could be considered.
§ Monitoring of existing schemes and reforms in PDS
ICDS: The need for reforms in the ICDS especially setting a time frame for its actual and proper implementation across the entire country was emphasized in the meeting. It was felt that it should also provide the services of crèche and not just restrict itself to setting up of Anganwadis if it has to benefit the rural working women.
PDS: It should be properly functioning, affordable and well run. The price of food grains should be determined on the basis of the employment and wage levels obtained at the relevant time. The size of the family should be the unit to determine the food requirements of the family ensuring interpersonal equity within the household. Such requirement should be guaranteed to an economically poor household as its non negotiable right. Economically poor households should have the right to draw its entitlements during the month through in as many installments as it deems feasible. PDS should be looked as an alternate market for the poor and should be insulated from factors like violent fluctuations in supplies and prices
Also pointed out at the meeting was the ironic situation where the country's food grains are rotting in the warehouses while people are dying due to hunger.

§ Starvation deaths / suicides: State's response
The meeting emphasized the need for timely distribution of relief to avert an impending crisis of deaths due to hunger, a change in the mindset of society and a political will in tackling this serious problem.
The meeting also drew attention to the response of the authorities in the case of a reported death due to hunger wherein the state intervenes, examines and seeks to prove that the death is due to other causes than starvation. . This attitude of the State it was pointed out was insensitive and a humiliation meted out on the deceased's family. It was felt that instance of prevalence of distress conditions threatening in starvations deaths constitute an injury requiring that a penalty be imposed on the State. It was stressed that when a death occurs and if the cause is attributed to starvation then procedures like post mortem of the victim must be done. It was emphasized that the eventual responsibility and accountability for situation leading to death due to starvation should rest with the Heads of Government at the Centre and state so that the battle for the poor people's Right to Food is not fought through proxies like blaming systemic and bureaucratic failures
It was pointed that the actions of state agents pose a serious threat to the food requirements of local populations. Discrimination ineffective rule of law, and corruption have also led to violation of the right to food for numerous communities and individuals. It is of great concern that throughout India the administrative system has totally failed and there is no good net working amongst the officials at the local level.
§ Scientific and Technological measures
It stressed on the need for up-gradation of the technological capability of the country. It was suggested this could be accomplished by a joint venture of India Council of Agriculture Research and the Agricultural Universities of the country in order to improve the capability of adopting latest technology for self-reliance in the field of food. Also discussed was the need to maintain a balance between ecological value vis-à-vis productivity.
§ Creating awareness
There are schemes to help people in this country but they are not aware of the same. Steps need to be taken in creating awareness among the people that they are entitled to get food. In this regard, NGO's local bodies and media may be involved it was suggested.
The Core group meeting concluded with a suggestion that a Committee be constituted to make concrete suggestions/recommendation keeping in mind the views expressed in the meeting. These recommendations would then be examined by the NHRC after which it may be forwarded to the Government of India. State Governments and Governments of Union Terrorizes for dealing with the issue of Right to Food so as to provide food security to the people of this country.