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NAC Working Group to draft Food Security Bill, reforming PDS by Joseph Alexander

The National Advisory Council (NAC), which recently approved subsidised food for 75 per cent of population, has entrusted the task of drafting the Food Security Bill with a Working Group on food security for the consideration of the Council meeting, slated for November 26.

The NAC working committee, while finalising the details of the Bill, will also look into proposals for introducing some reforms in the PDS system to efficiently carry out the Food Security Act, it is learnt. The move is to plug leakages and enhance accountability in the PDS system.

Decentralised procurement and storage, de-privatisation of PDS outlets, doorstep delivery of grain to PDS outlets, revision of PDS commissions, application of ICT including end-to-end computerisation of the PDS, full transparency of records (including pro-active disclosure, transaction-based MIS, right of immediate inspection, and mandatory social audits), and use of Smart Cards and biometrics subject to successful pilots are some of the measures planned in this regard.

The sixth meeting of the NAC, held on October 23 and chaired by its chairperson Sonia Gandhi, decided to provide subsidised food for at least 75 per cent of population, covering 90 per cent in rural and 50 per cent in urban areas.

Members who attended the meeting were Prof. M S Swaminathan, Dr Ram Dayal Munda, MP, Prof Narendra Jadhav, Prof. Pramod Tandon, Dr Jean Dreze, Ms Aruna Roy, Madhav Gadgil, N C Saxena, Dr A K Shiva Kumar, Deep Joshi, Ms Farah Naqvi, Harsh Mander and Ms Anu Aga, according to the minutes of the meeting.

``Legal entitlements to subsidised foodgrains should be extended to at least 75% of the country's population - 90% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas. The priority households (46% in rural areas and 28% in urban areas) should have a monthly entitlement of 35 kg (equivalent to 7 kg per person) at a subsidised price of Re 1 per kg for millets, Rs 2 for wheat and Rs 3 for rice. Rural coverage can be adjusted state-wise based on the Planning Commission's 2004-05 poverty estimates,'' the recommendations of the NAC said.

The general households (44% in rural areas and 22% in urban areas) should have a monthly entitlement of 20 kg (equivalent to 4 kg per person) at a price not exceeding 50% of the current Minimum Support Price for millets, wheat and rice. The minimum coverage and entitlements as well as prices should remain unchanged at least until the end of the XII Five Year Plan (2012-17). The Government of India should specify the criteria for categorisation of population into priority and general households. The NAC recommends that in the first phase, food entitlements should be extended to 85% of the rural population and 40% of the urban population. Full coverage of food entitlements as enumerated above should be extended to all by March 31, 2014,'' NAC meeting said.

Other important components of the food security bill recommended by the NAC include legal entitlements for child and maternal nutrition (including nutrition programmes for pre-school children, pregnant and nursing mothers, maternity benefits and mid-day meals for school children) as well as for community kitchens and programmes for feeding destitute and vulnerable groups. For the new components programmes will need to be developed as soon as possible.

For further advancing food and nutritional security, the NAC has recommended as enabling provisions, among other things, measures for revitalising agriculture, diversifying the commodities available under the Public Distribution System (PDS), ensuring universal access to safe water and proper sanitation, universalising primary health care, extending nutrition and health support to adolescent girls, strengthening the school health programme, the programme for Vitamin A, iodine and iron supplementation and the national programme for crèches.