CPI cautions government against 'discriminatory' Food Security Act

Bangalore, Dec 28: The Communist Party of India (CPI) Monday cautioned the central government on enacting a "discriminatory" Food Security Act, saying the proposed draft restricts the Public Distribution System (PDS) to the below poverty line (BPL) category alone.

"We have serious concern over the proposed legislation on food security because of the discriminatory nature of its draft on the PDS. The central government is trying to usurp states' right to fix BPL and APL (above poverty line) norms," CPI national secretary D. Raja told reporters on the margins of the party's national council meeting here.

"Though the objective of the Act is to ensure food for all, the centre's attempt to shirk its responsibility in achieving the goal is reprehensible, as the draft provisions deny the state governments right to fix norms for BPL and APL categories," he said.

"The government bodies, including the Planning Commission have differences on the criteria to define poverty. The proposed legislation will enhance the price of rice to Rs 3 per kg and reduce the quantum to 25kg from 35 kg to each family per month, while several state governments are providing foodgrains at Rs.2 per kg or Rs.1 per kg," the party said in a resolution on agriculture, food prices and food security.

Referring to the Suresh Tendulkar committee report on poverty estimates, Raja said the number of people BPL has increased to 38 percent from 27.5 percent in 2004-05.

"The central government should make its position clear. It should convene a meeting of all state food ministers to discuss the Food Security Act legislation and its draft bill should be circulated to all state governments for their views. It should also be put in public domain for debate and broader response," Raja noted.

The party has urged the government to first strengthen and universalise the PDS in order to ensure food for all.

The Tendulkar committee, headed by the former chairman of the prime minister's economic advisory panel, submitted the report to the Plan Panel Dec 8. The committee was set up to formulate a comprehensive methodology for measuring poverty in the country.