FOOD SECURITY ACT
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    • FOOD SECURITY ACT
    The Food Security bill as envisaged by UPA chairperson and Chairperson of NAC provided for supply of 30 KG of  Rice/wheat for those BPL families in India at a subsidised rate of Rs.3/Kg. The PDS as is being run today is full of pilferages and large scale corruption and the most of the rice wheat find their way in to black market. Some people advocated for food coupons to be exchanged in a local grocery shop who will be reimbursed the difference in the subsidised selling price and the actual cost of sales. This will eliminate one tier in the PDS that is the fair price shops notorious for their unfair trade practices. But our Planning commission Dy Chairman and our beloved Prime Minister said that Government can not afford to universalize Food security. The learned PM who has great ambitions of throwing open the nuclear business to US lobby, is not comfortable  about funding the social security scheme a view shared by neo liberals in his Government who want subsidies to be cut. Home Minister Chidambaram when he was FM made a remark that we could import food grains and advised Farmers to find alternate employment opportunities selling their farm land for Industrial use. 

    The difficulty in identifying target families was daunting. The estimates of those who are below BPL vary from committee to committee Saxena Committee, Tendulkar Committee and Planning Commission forecast are all at variance States have their own statistical tools to estimate those who are below BPL. Dr.Ahuluwalia suggested that states should be asked to finance the scheme beyond what is estimated by the Planning commission, Kamal Nath's assertion that Planning commission is an armchair advisor is an apt description. In a brilliant article in The Hindu its rural editor Sainath has questioned as to how the Government is able to meet the huge revenue give aways to Industry. Sonia Gandhi's trusted aide Jean Dreeze and architect of Green Revolution Dr.MS Swaminathan call for universalization of the Food Security act. 

    Sonia Gandhi who was able to somehow squeeze her other two pet schemes Rural Employment Guarantee and Urban Renewal mission finds it a little difficult to push through this unique scheme with the supposedly manouverable Prime Minister who resists this for reasons other than finding finances. NAC has now settled for a gradual introduction of this scheme to begin with in 25% of most vulnerable Districts. This exclusive agenda is pernicious and will defeat the social objective of providing succor to the vulnerable across the country. Finding finances to the extent of Rs 1 lac crores may not be that difficult as it is hardly 2% of GDP. The sops extended to Industry are far more. This crucial legislation should not be watered down to meet the social objective of providing and ensuring hunger free India. Statistics reveal that districts in 8 Indian states have poverty levels worse than Saharan Africa. Sonia should put her foot forward and get this universalised.

     
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