PDS outgo will rise once food security act comes into force
October 27th, 2010 - 8:59 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Wednesday said 62.1 million tonnes of foodgrain would be required every year once the food security act comes into force.
Stating that he has only read about the National Advisory Council (NAC) recommendations in the press, Pawar said it would be “presumptive” on his part to say what shape the Act would finally take.
Pawar said the ministry’s responsibility would increase after passing of the National Food Security Bill by parliament.
According to the rough estimate prepared by the ministry after reading the press reports on NAC recommendations, a quantity of “62.1 million tonnes food grain is required,” he told the Economic Editors’ Conference here.
“What is our requirement, we will discuss it. We are awaiting a formal communication from them (the NAC),” Pawar said.
“However, irrespective of the fine print, it is certain that our outgo from the Public Distribution System (PDS) will increase substantially from its current level once the Act is implemented,” the minister said.
The NAC, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, Saturday urged the government to move beyond the below poverty line (BPL) criteria and recommended “priority” and “general” categories for legal entitlement of foodgrain under the proposed food security act.
The NAC has suggested that legal entitlements to subsidised foodgrains should be extended to at least 75 percent of the country’s population - 90 percent in rural areas and 50 percent in urban areas.
- Food security would need over 62 mn tonnes of grain: Pawar (Lead) - Oct 27, 2010
- Don't replace subsidised food with cash: Swaminathan - Aug 18, 2011
- Take NAC recommendations seriously: PM - Oct 31, 2010
- NAC to continue discussions on food security bill - Nov 26, 2010
- Rethink food security bill: Pawar - Oct 19, 2011
- Will delay in poverty survey affect food security bill? - Apr 10, 2012
- PM's panel disagrees with NAC on food security law - Jan 13, 2011
- No regard for kids in draft food security bill: Activists - Aug 08, 2011
- Categorise households for legal entitlement of foodgrain: NAC - Oct 23, 2010
- Government reviews food security bill - Feb 29, 2012
- Government promises 'reasonably priced' food for all - Aug 10, 2011
- Centre, states to discuss food bill (Lead) - Feb 06, 2012
- Food security: PM says will seriously evaluate NAC recommendations - Oct 30, 2010
- NAC recommends food security cover for 80 crore people - Oct 23, 2010
- Food security bill to be tabled in monsoon session - Jul 26, 2011
Tags: agriculture minister, economic editors, editors conference, food grain, food security act, foodgrains, formal communication, legal entitlement, legal entitlements, nac, national advisory council, national food security, poverty line, public distribution system, rough estimate, rural areas, security bill, sharad pawar, sonia gandhi, tonnes