CB Bureau Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution Prof. KV Thomas has said that the government is committed
to enactment of the National Food Security Act to provide a statutory framework
for assured food security to all. Addressing the inaugural session of a seminar
organized by Indian Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at Cuttack, Orissa, the
minister said that the proposed legislation would be a paradigm shift in the
approach towards food security – from a welfare-based approach to a
rights-based one, involving legal obligation on the government’s part to
deliver food entitlements. It will be a comprehensive effort, adopting a
lifecycle approach in providing food and nutritional security to people, with
special emphasis on vulnerable groups.
Prof. Thomas said that the draft bill
proposes to provide right to receive food grains at subsidized prices under the
targeted public distribution system (TPDS), to persons belonging to priority
households and general households. It proposes coverage of up to 75 per cent of
the total rural population, with at least 46 per cent belonging to priority
households, and up to 50 per cent of the total urban population, with at least
28 per cent belonging to priority households. Each person in priority
households will be entitled to 7 kg food grains per month @ a price not
exceeding Rs 3, 2, or 1 per kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains, respectively, and
3 kg per person per month @ a price not exceeding 50 per cent of the minimum
support price for wheat and coarse grains and derived minimum support price for
rice in general households.
The food minister said that the bill also
contains provisions for nutritional support to pregnant women, lactating
mothers, and children; special groups such as destitute persons, homeless, and
such other needy persons; emergency- and disaster-affected persons; and persons
living in starvation. He said that the central government has held wide-ranging
consultations with various stakeholders, including state governments and UT administrations
regarding the proposed food security legislation. Based on these consultations
and comments/recommendations received, the ministry has prepared a draft
National Food Security Bill and the same has been placed on the website of the ministry
for comments/suggestions. The Bill is expected to be introduced in the parliament
after taking into account the comments received from stakeholders and after
appropriate consultations.
Thomas admitted that implementation of the
legislation will place a major demand on agricultural production and related
infrastructure. It will involve enhanced production of food grains, higher
procurement, additional storage facilities, rail”road infrastructure for
movement of food grains, and a streamlined distribution network. Based on the
provisions of the draft bill, the requirement of food grains for TPDS, other welfare
schemes (OWS), and natural calamities is estimated at about 61 million tons.
In order to cover a large section of rural
as well as urban populations, as envisaged in the proposed National Food
Security Act, it is necessary to have sufficient stocks of food grains in the central
pool for distribution. To meet the increased requirement, R&D efforts need
to be intensified to ensure better yield from the available agricultural land.
Development of modern farming technologies, high-yield varieties of seeds, and efficient
irrigation techniques are a must.
The minister expressed confidence that institutions
like Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and IRRI are capable of
meeting the challenges of research and development in the field of agriculture
to ensure sustained implementation of the proposed legislation. Governments,
NGOs, research institutions, and other stakeholders must work together to ensure
that the intended benefits are a sustainable reality, the minister added.