FOOD SECURITY BILL 1

FOOD SECURITY BILL 1

FOOD SECURITY BILL FOREWORD For the many poor people in the country, getting food grains at cheap prices that they can afford will now no longer be a problem. The Government of India is planning to bring out the Food Security Bill which will provide food grains at the prices that they can pay. With this bill over 80 crore people in our country will benefit, which means more than 75% of the people in the rural areas and 50% in the urban will now get food grains at such cheap rates. What is important is that the poor people will now get food grains a matter of right. An important aim of this Bill is to reduce the malnutrition among many poor people, especially the pregnant and feeding mothers and small children up to the age of 6 years of age. Through the Anganwadis and many other schemes of the Government of India, they will now have adequate quantity of food. This also covers the mid day meal programme where children in the age group of 6-14 years get free hot meals every day in their schools. 2

The National Food Security Bill has generated lot of excitement both in the villages and the towns especially about the fact that both rural and urban poor may soon get foodgrains at very cheap rates. People in village Sitapur had many questions about the Bill. So a meeting was organized on the Bill where people from the village and nearby towns had gathered. Arun Kumar who worked with a Government office in the District headquarters volunteered to inform the gathering about the new landmark bill. Devdutt: Arun Bhaiya, we have heard that food grains will now be provided at very cheap rates to a majority of people in the country. Is this the only reason the Central Government plans to bring the National Food Security Bill or are there other reasons too? Arun: Many people in the country cannot get enough food as they are poor. As a result they are malnourished due to which they become sick. The Food Security Bill will provide foodgrain to the poor rural and urban people as a matter of Right. This will take care of the problem of malnourishment. Ramdas, a villager asked: Arun Bhai, what does Food Security mean? Arun: Ramdas, food security means that people get sufficient food grains for all members of the family, at prices which they can afford. Ramdas: security? And how will the Central Government make sure that there is food Arun: Kaka, with this law, more than 2/3 people of over 1.2 billion people of our country will get the right to get adequate quantities of food grains at prices which 3

they can pay. This will benefit up to 75% of people in villages and up to 50% people in towns and cities. Dhaniram: Arun Beta, tell us what will be the quantity of food grains and at what price will these be available? Arun: Dhaniramji, each person of the eligible household will get 5 kg of food grains per month from TPDS shop. They will get wheat at Rs 3 a kg, Rice at Rs 2 a kg and coarse food grains at just Rs.1per kg. Ravi, who had studied up to class XII was excited: - Does it mean that over 80 crore people in our country will now get food grains at such cheap rates? Arun: Yes, you are right. Ramavatar: Arun Bhaiya, you said that 2/3 of the population will get the right to food security. But who all will be eligible for this benefit, and who will take the decision in this regard? Arun: Ramavtarji, the State governments and Union territories will identify eligible households. They will frame their own rules or use the Data of the Social Economic and Caste census for this purpose. The total number of beneficiaries in the states will be calculated on the basis of the Population Census of the Central Government. Krishan: And how will people get to know whether they are eligible for these benefits or not? Arun: Don t worry about it. The State government office will have to display the list of the identified households such that everyone knows about it. 4

Ram Prasad, a beneficiary under the Antodaya Anna Yojana, who looked a bit worried, asked: Arun Beta, under the Antodaya Anna Yojana for the poorest of the poor like us get 35 kgs of food grains per household irrespective of the number of members in a family. Does it mean that if a family covered under this scheme has less than 7 members, their quota of food grains will be reduced? Arun: Not at all, Ramprasadji. You and others covered under the scheme will continue to get their full amount of 35 kg at these highly subsidized rates. Your quota will not be reduced. Ramkali: Arun Beta, what if there is short supply of food grains at the fair price shops and we do not get our quota of rations? Arun: Kaki, in case people do not get their quota of food grains because of non supply at fair price shop the beneficiaries will get Food security Allowance from the concerned State Government. Ramesh: Does it mean that we will be given money to buy from the market? What will be the amount of food security allowance because in the market rate of food grains will be high? Arun: The allowance will be such that your worries will be taken care of. The State Government will decide about these issues. Bela Rani: Arun Bhai, what about the problem of malnutrition among women? You know that so many women in our country are anaemic-have less iron? Arun: Bela Didi, to take care of this problem, the focus is on pregnant women who as you know need to eat nutritious food not only for their own health but also for the health of the child yet to be born. These women will receive meals free of 5

charge during pregnancy and 6 months after the birth of the child through Anganwadis and rural health centers. Bela Rani: And they will get these take-home rations from the Anganwadis in the area? Arun:Yes. There are ASHAs in the village and they can help women get their take home rations from the anganwadis. Ramdhani, whose daughter-in-law was pregnant, asked: I have heard that the pregnant women will also get maternity benefit in terms of cash? In fact, they are already getting something. Arun: Yes, under the Bill they will receive maternity benefit of at least of Rs. 6000. Ramdhani: Will they get this money in instalments or in one go? Arun: They will get the money in instalments as decided by the State government. Fifteen year old Vanita wanted to know whether there was something for the adolescent girls like her as well. Arun: Vanita, under the Sabla programme, adolescent girls in 200 districts are already benefitting. The out-of-school girls' in the age group of 11 to 14 years and all the girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years are being given extra nutritional support. Sunita said: It is the women who manage the kitchen, but the ration cards are always in the name of males of the family? 6

Arun: Yes, this is true. But you will be happy to know that under this Bill the eldest woman in the family, more than 18 years, will be the head of the household for the purpose of the issue of the ration card. Only in case there is no woman or she is under 18 years, that the eldest male member will be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards. Sheela, mother of two children (the elder one in school and the other nearly three years old) wanted to know about the provisions in the Bill for children. Arun: Sheela Tai, there is need for all children to eat well for their growth; after all they are the future of our country. So every child up to 14 years of age will get food free of charge to meet their nutritional needs. From 6 months to 6 years, meals appropriate to their age will be provided free of charge by Anganwadis. Sheela: What about children between the age of 3 to 6 years? Will they also get food from the Anganwadis? Arun:They would get morning snack and hot cooked meal and the children up to the age of 6 months, the emphasis will be on promoting breast feeding which is the best for the child of that age. Bimla: Will all children from 6 months 6 years get meals free of charge at the Anganwadis or it is only for certain categories? Arun: The scheme is open to all children in rural and urban areas. Bimla: What about children who are suffering from malnutrition? Will they get something extra? Arun: Yes, special attention will be paid to children who are suffering from malnutrition. All such children between the age of 6 months and 6 years will be 7

entitled for higher nutritional norms. They will be given take home ration which has more nutrition. Vaishali: What about school children? Arun: Vaishali, children in the age group between 6-14 years or up to Class VIII will get mid-day meal free of charge every day except on holidays in all schools run by local bodies, government and government aided schools. They are in fact already getting it under the midday meal scheme but now they will get as a matter of right. Under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, they also get free uniforms, books and regular health check-ups. Hetram: I belong to a hilly area which is very difficult to access? Are there any special provisions for people like us? Arun: Yes Hetram, there is special focus on needs of people who live in remote and areas difficult to access, hilly and tribal areas. Ramkali: Coming back to the Targetted Public Distribution System, or PDS as it is known, many a times the fair price shop owner says that food grains are not available but actually he sells them in black market. Is there anything in Bill to take care of this problem? Arun: It is true that at times the food grains are taken away or diverted by corrupt people. But this problem will also be taken care of by the new bill. Ramesh: How will this be done? Arun: The fair-price shop records will now be open for inspection to the public so that nobody is able to divert anything that is meant for the beneficiaries. The local Panchayats will inspect these records regularly. Vigilance committees will also be set up at higher levels. 8

Ramkali: Arun Beta, tell me to whom can we make our complaints against fair price shop owners who are corrupt and dishonest? Arun: Kaki, one could make the complaints through call centers, help lines or some specific officers with whom one can lodge the complaint. The District Grievance Redressal Officer will look into the complaint and take measures to solve the problem. Ramkali: What if any public servant or authority is found guilty of failing to provide relief recommended by the District Grievance redressed officer? Arun: Don t worry Ramkali, the guilty will be penalized. The person can be asked to pay the penalty of up to Rs. 5000. Praween: I know that TPDS does not function as well as it should. Are any steps being taken to improve its working? Arun: With the New Bill, the Government has taken many steps such as computerization of records. Now women can manage these shops. Food grains will be delivered to TDPS Shops. Preference to be given to panchayats and self help groups as well as cooperatives in licensing of fair price shops. Suresh who had remained quiet all this while asked: But Arun Bhaiya who is going to bear the huge cost of giving over 80 crore people, rations at such cheap rates? Arun: This will be taken-up by the Central Government, who will bear all the costs of transport of food grains and other related costs. I hope, I have cleared all your doubts and answered your queries? 9

Raghubir: We sometimes do not get any information about various schemes of the Central Government. Where can we get this information? Bishamber: Information on various schemes of the Central Government is available at the Public Information Campaigns which the Central Government holds in the districts from time to time. Information can also be got from the Panchayat Ghar and the District Collector s office about the different schemes. Many people: - Thank you Arun Bhaiyya, we hope that the Food Bill is passed soon and it becomes a law for us to benefit. 10