National Food Security in India

Aug. 27th 2013 Lok Sabha passes Food Security Bill 2013

Aug. 27th 2013 Lok Sabha passes Food Security Bill 2013
NFS 2013 seeks to provide highly subsidised food grains to nearly 70 % of the population of the country. Under the Targeted Public Distribution System, about 67% of the population will legally be entitled to get subsidised food grains. A beneficiary will be entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs.3, Rs.2 and Rs.1 per kg respectively.
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 The beneficiaries will be identified by the States based on

parameters prescribed by the Union government.

Total requirements around 62 million tonnes and 75 % of

villages would be targeted as a priority sector.

The storage facilities would go up to 85million tonnes by 2014-15. The off take of the States for the present ongoing schemes would be protected and additional provisions would be made for implementing the entitlements.
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National food security

EARLIER DEBATES

Government of India (National Advisory Council), 24 Sept. 2010, Press Release

1. The Fifth meeting of the National Advisory Council was chaired by Smt. Sonia Gandhi on 24th September, 2010 at 2 Motilal Nehru Place, New Delhi. 2. Members who attended the meeting were Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, MP, Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, MP, Prof. Narendra Jadhav, Prof. Pramod Tandon, Dr. Jean Dreze, Ms. Aruna Roy, Ms Anu Aga, Shri N.C. Saxena, Dr. A.K. Shiva Kumar, Shri Deep Joshi, Ms. Farah Naqvi, Shri Harsh Mander and Ms. Mirai Chatterjee. 3. A presentation was made by Shri Harsh Mander, convenor of the Working Group on the framework of proposed Right to Food Security Bill detailing the Working Groups proposal.

4. Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Shri Montek S Ahluwalia, Secretary (Food & Public Distribution), Smt. Alka Sirohi, Secretary (Women & Child Development), Dr D.K. Sikri, and Secretary (Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation), Ms Kiran Dhingra made presentations, placing the viewpoint of the Planning Commission and respective Ministries/Departments. 5. The Working Group took note of the issues which emerged from the discussion. A further round of discussions is to take place before the proposal of the Working Group could be finalised. 6. The next meeting of the NAC is scheduled to be held on 23 October, 2010.

 Food availability is assured when enough of it is

produced or imported and at an affordable price it is available locally. Food access is assured when we can buy, prepare and consume food to avail a nutritious

diet.
Food absorption is assured when we have normal

physical and mental health and are able to

maintain it with our diet.
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 Food supplementation to address special needs

of the vulnerable groups, Integrated Child Development services [ICDS]

and
mid-day meals at secondary schools Nutrition education, especially through Food and Nutrition Board [FNB] and ICDS.
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 Eliminate Poverty, and Child mal-nutrition Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and its objectives That every individual has the physical, economic, social, and environmental access to a balanced diet that includes the necessary macro-and micro-nutrients, safe drinking water, sanitation, environmental hygiene, primary healthcare and education so as to lead a healthy and productive life. Indias Golden Dream to be realized

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Brain development from Infancy to childhood

Infants: children below one year Toddlers: age group 1-2 years Preschoolers: age group 3 to 5 years School going: In the age group 6 to 14 Scientists say 90% of brain develops by age 5 Economists say prevention is better than cure and Child specialists say early years are foundational to development

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early childcare is very important

People below poverty line neglect the young.
India continues to lose 6 % of our newborns

before their first birthday; 50 % of our toddlers

to malnutrition and a whole generation to poor

health, low skills and poverty.

Can we afford to ignore the role that crches play in the survival, development and wellbeing of young children?
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[Monday 7 February 2011]

States should plug PDS loopholes before food bill is enacted; Three core issues PDS reform, Stepping up storage units and

Social accounting of foodgrains sold via PDS.

Computerisation of ration shops, use of global positioning system in tracking movement of vehicles transporting PDS items and replacing ration cards with smart cards are some of the reforms that states should work seriously on. Keeping in mind the storage need that may arise with the implementation of the proposed bill, the government is aiming to boost storage capacity by 17 million tonnes in the next 2-3 years.
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The Kolkata Group, an independent initiative inspired

and chaired by Amartya Sen, has demanded that the

Right to Food Act be made non-discriminatory and

universal to cover legal food entitlements for all Indians.

The Eighth Kolkata Group Workshop (February 2010), has argued for creating durable legal entitlements that guarantee the right to food for all in the country. Sen stressed the need for the firm recognition of the right to food, and comprehensive legislation to guarantee everyone the right.
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A Right to Food Act covering enforceable food entitlements should be Non-discriminatory and universal. Entitlements guaranteed by the Act should include food grains from the Public Distribution System (PDS), school meals, nutrition services for children below the age of six years, social security provision, and allied programmes

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Average daily net per capita availability of food grains in India

Average daily net per capita availability of food grains in
India between 2005 and 2008 was 436 grams/Indian. That was less than it was half a century ago. In 1955-58 it was 440 grams. Take pulses separately and the fall is 50 %. Around 35 grams in 2005-08 from nearly 70 grams in 1955-58.
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 It would be sobering for economists to look at the expenditures that some of the most prosperous countries in the world are incurring to stave hunger and protect children and adult populations from hunger. Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu are four states with four different political parties in power, have led the way in covering larger

numbers of poor and admittedly, better

provisioning of food grain.

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As per the Supreme Court of India

Basic needs of man have traditionally been accepted to the three - food, clothing and shelter. The right to life is guaranteed in any civilized society. That would take within its sweep the right to food, the right to clothing, the right to decent environment and a reasonable accommodation to live in.

Shantistar Builders vs. Narayan Khimalal Totame, Civil Appeal No. 2598 of 1989, decided Jan. 31, 1990. Supreme Court of India, at sec. 9.

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.a governance issue

The government has announced a 'second green revolution' through the non-irrigated lands, but the agricultural ministry's past record does not inspire confidence. To assure itself that the NFSA does not come undone in future years, the NAC will need to set the course for this second 'revolution' and push the government to procure more. The latter is beset with macroeconomic concerns of how increased government purchase will hit prices and inflation.

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Enhancing production alongside will become

mandatory.

This would be the toughest bit to ensure because

these issues will lie beyond the mandate of the

NFSA. They would have to be embedded in an

overall economic policy shift that will require

increased budgetary allocations to agriculture,

combined with the same intellectual vigour that India witnessed during the first green revolution.
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India wants to reach the moon but the question is whether it can reach its own starving children. Who cares if the Commonwealth of the Games is so uncommonly unequal. According to Harsh Mander, a Food Commissioner appointed by the Supreme Court, about ten homeless die every day in Delhi. Says Mander That so many people die each day at our doorstep, close to the centers of power, is a reminder how scarce is compassion in our public life.

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Have the right priorities, and a moral courage

The paucity of resources can no longer be an excuse for keeping our people hungry. It is more a case of having the right priorities, and a moral deficit. The NCEUS report appointed by the government points out that the safety net can be provided within the available resources and capacity of the government. If a universal subsidy can work in Tamil Nadu state and PDS can work in Kerala state why can't it be made to work elsewhere?

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