Food Security Bill provides for support to two-thirds of population: K V Thomas

The National Food Security Bill proposes to entitle about two thirds of the country's 1.2 billion population to subsidised foodgrains under the targeted public distribution system (TPDS), with special focus on nutritional support to women and children. Pregnant women and lactating mothers, besides being entitled to free meals, will also receive maternity benefit at Rs1,000 per month for six months.

In case of non-supply of foodgrains or meals, the beneficiaries will be entitled to receive food security allowance. 

The proposed legislation marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of food security - from being viewed as a welfare approach to a right-based approach - minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution K V Thomas said.

The bill seeks to address the issue of food security in the country in a holistic manner by adopting a life cycle approach, he added.

He said the bill also has elaborate provisions for grievance redressal, besides provisions for ensuring transparency and accountability such as disclosure of records of TPDS, social audit and vigilance committees at various levels.

The bill is currently under consideration of the standing committee on food, consumer affairs and public distribution and the government is awaiting the outcome of deliberations of the standing committee before taking the bill forward, he added.

He said about 65 million BPL households, 25 million AAY households and 115 million APL households are currently covered by the subsidised foodgrain allocations. Besides, the government is also implementing schemes to specifically address the concerns related to malnutrition, especially among women and children, through schemes like Integrated Child Development Services, Mid-Day Meal, Annapoorna, etc.

Some of the major highlights of the Food Security Bill are:

• Up to 75 per cent of the rural population (with at least 46 per cent from priority category) and up to 50 per cent of urban population (with at least 28 per cent from priority category) are to be covered under TPDS.
• Seven kg of foodgrains per person per month to be given to priority category households, which include rice, wheat and coarse grains at Rs3, 2, and 1 per kg, respectively.
• At least 3 kg of foodgrains per person per month to be given to general category households, at prices not exceeding 50 per cent of Minimum Support Price.
• Women to be made head of the household for the purpose of issue of ration cards.
• Maternity benefit to pregnant women and lactating mothers.
• End-to-end computerisation of TPDS.
• Three-tier independent grievance redressal mechanism.
• Social audit by local bodies such as gram panchayats, village councils etc.
• Meals for special groups such as destitute, homeless persons, emergency/disaster affected persons and persons on the verge of starvation.
• Food Security Allowance in case of non-supply of food-grains or meals.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function to launch a bulletin, 'Standing on the Threshold: Food justice in India', brought out by the Institute of Development Studies and Oxfam India, the minister said the government is planning to impose stockholding limits on agri-commodities:

The government may consider imposing stockholding limits on various agricultural commodities to curb rising prices. It may also review the export policy on agricultural commodities such as sugar and rice in August by which time there will be a clearer picture on the monsoons, he said.