India Food Security Act may define quantity of food to be distributed

Last Updated : 04 July 2011 at 13:00 IST
KOCHI (Commodity Online): The draft proposal of the Food Security Act will define the quantity of food grains to be distributed, said the Food Minister of India, Prof. KV Thomas.

“Accordingly, for the priority category (BPL: Below Poverty Line), 35 kilogram will be distributed per five-member family and for the APL (Above Poverty Line) category, 3 kilogram will be distributed per person. For the priority category, Wheat would be distributed for Rs 2 a kilogram and Rice would be distributed for Rs.3 a kilogram. For the APL category, 50% of Minimum Support Price will be charged.” He added.

“The proposal intends to cover 75% of the population.” he said.

The draft proposal of the Food Security Act was recently given the nod by the Prime Minister. Changes could still be effected into this draft, the Food Minister had said. The process is a dynamic one and the Food Security Act will continue to evolve.

The Food Security Act was proposed by the Sonia Gandhi led National Advisory Council and suggested 90% of population be brought under the cover. This has been revised to 75% now as C.Rangarajan-- Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council Chairman—termed the NAC proposal as too ambitious. Rangarajan had proposed 41% of population be brought under the cover.

Even if the 75-per cent-proposal gets cabinet approval and introduced in the Parliament, it may be referred to a standing committee for further deliberation.

The government fears the proposal to bring 75% of population under cover would turn government into a mass procuring agency and would push up the prices in the open market and fuel inflation scourge.

As published in: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/India-Food-Security-Act-may-define-quantity-of-food-to-be-distributed-40487-3-1.html