Sir,
It is a good news that the Food Security Bill promising the supply of food grains and cereals at the rate of 5 Kg per person at very nominal price has been made applicable by the president. About 82 crore population of the country shall be benefited by this bill. The aim of this bill is that no person in the country sleeps empty stomach. But one fails to understand how this number of 82 crores has been arrived at.The population of the country below poverty line is about 30 percent and accordingly the number of poor people can be estimated at 40 crore. It means that the lower middle class and middle class population has also been included among the beneficiaries. If this is so then the bill cannot be considered as justified keeping into view the great burden on the state exchequer as these classes do not deserve ration at such a high subsidy. Also the source of availability of huge stock of food grains is not clear. No doubt at present there is huge stock of food grains but the regular supply of about 50 crore quintals annually over and above the already being distributed through PDS is doubtful. This is also because the agriculture land is shrinking on account of industrialisation, housing requirements and other development activities. The opposition has raised objections about the ordnance route of the bill instead of legislation through the parliament. But for this the opposition is itself responsible as they have not allowed to discuss the bill in the previous session of the parliament. They have also stalled the parliament proceedings in preceding sessions and missed much of the valuable discussions.
Yours etc..
D R Bhagat
Ekta Vihar
Kunjwani
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