As we all know the Food security bill we can passed in Lok Sabha and will be produced before Rajya Sabha tomorrow. Is this something that we can afford right now. India needs to strengthen its economic situation by reducing the current account deficit. When India is under a large debt how can she afford to distribute food at subsidized rate.
Now, lets see the condition of India. According to 2013 statics BPL population has reduced to 22% of population. Indian government provides Rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene at subsidized rate to this 22% of population. The most eye catching being Rice @ Re 1/- per KG. Indian government also purchases a minimum amount of food grain produced from the farmers directly. So, where lies the problem and why this Food security bill is a necessity.
As per statics, India needs to improve sanitation and fight against malnutrition. However, our government has come up with another food security bill that would give subsidized food for 67% of population.
Here, is some view on the actual condition of people at remote village. The scheduled tribe or tribal population is the poorest, they need a socio- economic growth all together. In general, India needs to improve the sanitation and malnutrition problem. However, the corruption in India which has spread to this grass-root level also affects the actual statics of BPL. People in remote village get their ration card if they have connection with politician, in-spite of their overall income. Yes, it covers the actual needy but there are people who are covered even if its not a need.
By passing this food security bill, can government improve the present situation? Its a No. Why? Providing cereals only at subsidized rate will not improve Malnutrition, because pulses is required to fight malnutrition. The second reason being, government is buying these cereal from farmers, it is transporting these food grain to cold storage's located 100's km away from the purchasing place. At present situation, media reports food wastage every other day at these storage's. So, how can government be able to distribute food efficiently to a larger mass without improving and efficiently functioning these storage's. It would just end up purchasing the grain from same farmer and providing him the same produce at a cheaper rate. This will be total loss for India.
Where India needs to focus is at the efficient distribution and maintenance of these cold storage's. Once, it improves this condition only then it can increase the capacity. Only by increasing capacity all of sudden will not help India, instead this would increase the wastage to a larger amount. What about sanitation, non- of our political leaders have anything to say about it? Why so?
This could be because if government announces setting up free toilets in villages, it will not be able to grab more attention, than when it will announce distributing cereal @ Re 1/- for a larger mass. For the villagers, the poor and illiterate, sanitation is obviously not something they are attracted to, but food is a need and attraction. They are used to the poor sanitation and could not easily understand the need of it.
Yes, we educated mass understand the vote bank politics, and know such bills will be beneficial for all the contesting parties in election, so this bill will never be opposed. But, how many of this educated mass actually vote. Many of us have migrated from our native to another state for employment or for higher education, on the election day, we have voter id's of our native place as per residential proof and this actually hinder's us in giving vote. And the remaining educated mass who do not vote because, we have no faith on any government parties. Yes, as Indian's we should never miss this opportunity and vote, but there most be some easier option to do this just like registering for PAN card and using it any where in India. True, setting up a system that could identify people at all places would be difficult but this is not impossible.
If this could be possible to vote on internet ,many more educated mass who understand the policies and rules would be able to participate efficiently. But, yes at the present scenario, this food security bill will no doubt attract the poor to vote for the party. I wish our government could take up more steps to actually stabilize economy than provide subsidized food.
Now, lets see the condition of India. According to 2013 statics BPL population has reduced to 22% of population. Indian government provides Rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene at subsidized rate to this 22% of population. The most eye catching being Rice @ Re 1/- per KG. Indian government also purchases a minimum amount of food grain produced from the farmers directly. So, where lies the problem and why this Food security bill is a necessity.
As per statics, India needs to improve sanitation and fight against malnutrition. However, our government has come up with another food security bill that would give subsidized food for 67% of population.
Here, is some view on the actual condition of people at remote village. The scheduled tribe or tribal population is the poorest, they need a socio- economic growth all together. In general, India needs to improve the sanitation and malnutrition problem. However, the corruption in India which has spread to this grass-root level also affects the actual statics of BPL. People in remote village get their ration card if they have connection with politician, in-spite of their overall income. Yes, it covers the actual needy but there are people who are covered even if its not a need.
By passing this food security bill, can government improve the present situation? Its a No. Why? Providing cereals only at subsidized rate will not improve Malnutrition, because pulses is required to fight malnutrition. The second reason being, government is buying these cereal from farmers, it is transporting these food grain to cold storage's located 100's km away from the purchasing place. At present situation, media reports food wastage every other day at these storage's. So, how can government be able to distribute food efficiently to a larger mass without improving and efficiently functioning these storage's. It would just end up purchasing the grain from same farmer and providing him the same produce at a cheaper rate. This will be total loss for India.
Where India needs to focus is at the efficient distribution and maintenance of these cold storage's. Once, it improves this condition only then it can increase the capacity. Only by increasing capacity all of sudden will not help India, instead this would increase the wastage to a larger amount. What about sanitation, non- of our political leaders have anything to say about it? Why so?
This could be because if government announces setting up free toilets in villages, it will not be able to grab more attention, than when it will announce distributing cereal @ Re 1/- for a larger mass. For the villagers, the poor and illiterate, sanitation is obviously not something they are attracted to, but food is a need and attraction. They are used to the poor sanitation and could not easily understand the need of it.
Yes, we educated mass understand the vote bank politics, and know such bills will be beneficial for all the contesting parties in election, so this bill will never be opposed. But, how many of this educated mass actually vote. Many of us have migrated from our native to another state for employment or for higher education, on the election day, we have voter id's of our native place as per residential proof and this actually hinder's us in giving vote. And the remaining educated mass who do not vote because, we have no faith on any government parties. Yes, as Indian's we should never miss this opportunity and vote, but there most be some easier option to do this just like registering for PAN card and using it any where in India. True, setting up a system that could identify people at all places would be difficult but this is not impossible.
If this could be possible to vote on internet ,many more educated mass who understand the policies and rules would be able to participate efficiently. But, yes at the present scenario, this food security bill will no doubt attract the poor to vote for the party. I wish our government could take up more steps to actually stabilize economy than provide subsidized food.
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