The Food Security Bill 2013, India , summary is,
The Bill extends to the whole of India and “shall be deemed to have come into force on the 5th day of July 2013”. [NB: This is the date when the National Food Security Ordinance 2013 came into force.]
2. Entitlements
Public Distribution System (PDS)
Priority households are entitled to 5 kgs of foodgrains per person per month, and Antyodaya households to 35 kgs per household per month. The combined coverage of Priority and Antyodaya households (called “eligible households”) shall extend “up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population”. The PDS issue prices are given in Schedule I: Rs 3/2/1 per kg for rice/wheat/millets. These may be revised after three years.
Children’s Entitlements
For children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years: an age-appropriate meal, free of charge, through the local anganwadi. For children aged 6-14 years, one free mid-day meal every day (except on school holidays) in all government and government-aided shools, up to Class VIII. For children below six months, “exclusive breastfeeding shall be promoted”. For children who suffer from malnutrition, meals will be provided to them free of charge “through the local anganwadi”.
Entitlements of Pregnant and Lactating Women
Every pregnant and lactating mother is entitled to a free meal at the local anganwadi(during pregnancy and six months after child birth) as well as maternity benefits of Rs 6,000, in instalments.
[Notes: (1) “Meal” is defined as “hot cooked or pre-cooked and heated before its service meal or take home ration, as may be prescribed by the Central Government”. All “meals” have to meet nutritional norms specified in Schedule II. (2) The entitlements of women and children are to be delivered by state governments through schemes in accordance with guidelines to be prescribed by the Central Government.]
3. Identification of Eligible Households
The Bill does not specify criteria for the identification of households eligible for PDS entitlements. The Central Government is to determine the state-wise coverage of the PDS (proportion of the rural/urban population). Then numbers of eligible persons will be calculated from Census population figures. The identification of eligible households is left to state governments, subject to the scheme’s guidelines for Antyodaya, and subject to guidelines to be “specified” by the state government for Priority households. The identification of eligible households is to be completed within 365 days. The lists of eligible households are to be placed in the public domain and “displayed prominently”.
4. Food Commissions
The Bill provides for the creation of State Food Commissions. The main function of the State Commission is to monitor the implementation of the Act, give advice to the states governments and their agencies, and inquire into violations of entitlements. State Commissions also have to hear appeals against orders of the District Grievance Redressal Officer and prepare annual reports.
5. Transparency and Grievance Redressal
The Bill provides for a two-tier grievance redressal structure, involving the District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO) and State Food Commission. State governments must also put in place an internal grievance redressal mechanism which may include call centres, help lines, etc.”
Some questions.
1.Most of the States in India are distributing Grains to people under PDS scheme to Below Poverty Line (BPL)
In some States the Grain is issued free of cost, maximum quantity under this is fixed;in some States,the price up to 20Kgs is Re One/kg.
In the absence of any Identifying Mechanism for those to be eligible to avail this scheme.would there not be duplication of supplies to the same beneficiary?
2.Production of Grain Estimate , 2013.
As per the estimates, the total food grain production is likely to be 255.36 million tonnes.
The food grain production was earlier estimated at 250.14 MT (as per II advance estimates released in February.)
Production of rice is likely to be 104.22 million tonnes. Wheat production is likely to be 93.62 million tonnes.
Demand:
Wheat consumption (FSI) in MY 2013/14 is forecast to increase to 83.0 million tons on expected
sufficient domestic production and continued higher supplies of government wheat stocks at subsidized
prices to the consumers through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and local millers through Open
Market Sales (OMS) program. …
Rice consumption in
MY 2013/14 is forecast to increase by three percent to 97 million tons on expected sufficient domestic
supplies and higher sales of government rice through the PDS. However, continued inflationary
domestic rice prices could affect rice consumption in MY 2013/14.
So Under PDS Demand/Consumption is for
Wheat – 83 Million Tons.
Rice –97 million tons
Production Estimate:
Wheat –93.62 million tonnes.
Rice -104.22 million tonnes
In Wheat, the production is less than the consumption(estimate)
Mind you . this is only PDS distribution figures.
When you go in for National Food security the quantity is bound to increase.
In Rice, the Production is about 5 Million tons more than the projected demand and this gain is only the PDS distribution.
How does the Government prose to meet the shortfall?
By Imports?
What about the additional cash outlay by Subsidies?
Nice, weaken the Rupee further.
In this exercise The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa has correctly pointed out the nonsense of the scheme stating that the Center is cutting down the Central Allocation to Tamil Nadu to the tune one lakh tons and the subsidy is also being reduced.
The beneficiaries are yet to be identified, the mechanism is to be set!
Fantastic scheme on paper, delivering on paper and placing the next Central Government in a fix.
If Congress comes to power they will conveniently forget this as the did about Black Money!
Source:
http://www.tehelka.com/exclusive-summary-of-the-national-food-security-bill-2013/`
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Sharad Pawar said, “My worry is not today or tomorrow, but when it (Food Security Bill) will be in full swing. Demand will grow. By next year, the Subsidy Bill will go up to Rs 1,25,000 crore.” If you are among those who believe, as Sonia Gandhi and Amartya Sen do, that no price is too high to pay for solving the horrible malnutrition that India’s children suffer from then let me explain why you are wrong. Every other Indian child will continue to be officially malnourished even after this Bill becomes law because it is the wrong solution to a truly shameful problem. Half of India’s children are malnourished not because they do not get enough food grain to eat but because they do not get the right kind of nourishment.
http://www.niticentral.com/2013/09/01/sonias-fsb-an-expensive-delusion-127163.html
- The Food Security Bill…viewpoints…read Pages from the newspapers (pradeepranade.com)
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251MT (Million Tons) of food grains produced in India ensures 200 Kgs/ person per annum) ie. nearly 0.6 kg/day/person. Focus should be on production of staple food, nutritious food & opportunity to earn a dignified living. Food of animal origin must receive priority. Water based food like duck, fish, and water plants as it saves land use, energy and is rich in minerals & low in bad cholesterol.
Thanks for the compliments,