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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Two Union ministers spar over 'food for work' plan-Subodh Ghildiyal & Nitin Sethi

Two Union ministers spar over 'food for work' plan-Subodh Ghildiyal & Nitin Sethi

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published Published on Apr 14, 2012   modified Modified on Apr 14, 2012

Two Congress ministers, both known to be pro-poor, have locked horns over an unusual proposal. Union food minister K V Thomas has suggested that part of the wages under the job-guarantee scheme be paid in foodgrains. But, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh thinks the move could wreck the flagship scheme since it is an improvisation on the Food for Work programme of 1970s.

The RD minister thinks MNREGA could go the 'food for work' way with corruption and pilferage taking centrestage, if foodgrains were to be introduced.

As the two ministers, both known for their proximity to Congress leadership, spar over the proposal, insiders said the last had not been heard on the contentious issue. With the government stock levels rising by a substantial 21% over last year, and the state-run granaries holding 53.4 million tonnes as on April 1, 2012, the concerns about rotting food in government godowns is likely to heighten the pitch of the debate amid the approaching harvest season.

The food ministry concerned about the stock levels in Food Corporation of India and state godowns had proposed that the government provide foodgrains to the beneficiaries who work under MNREGA. Under the MNREG Act the government can provide foodgrains worth up to three-fourth of the wages payable to a beneficiary. But this provision has not been used so far. Thomas suggested the idea to Ramesh after the heavyweights in the group of ministers on food rejected the proposal to increase off-take to states under the public distribution system (PDS).

Last year too the outcry over rotting grains had created trouble for the UPA. And with the National Food Security Bill in early stages of the legislative process - and opposed vehemently by several friendly and opposition state governments - the Centre is stuck with limited options. Thomas' move is being seen as an 'innovative' step after the GoM cited fiscal constraints, while denying him the option of supplying more grains under the PDS.

For Ramesh, whose ministry oversees UPA's flagship scheme, though the worries are borne out of previous experiences of corruption in the 'Food for Work' programme that had originated in states in the 1970s, but was launched as a nationwide programme by BJP in 2001. However, the BJP policy had raised severe allegations of corruption in the delivery of grains.

The Times of India, 14 April, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Two-Union-ministers-spar-over-food-for-work-plan/articleshow/12656507.cms


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