Food security bill will create food insecurity: CPI-M
March 26th, 2010 - 10:22 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday termed the Food Security Bill in its present form a “travesty of food security” and said it will create food insecurity in the country.
The party asked the government to withdraw “this anti-poor bill” and come up with a legislation for a universal public distribution system with entitlement of at least 35 kg of foodgrain at Rs.2 a kg.
“Instead of enhancing entitlements, it reduces them as follows: present quota of 35 kg is cut to 25 kg; Antodaya entitlement is not specified at all; APL (Above Poverty Line) cardholders, i.e. those earning more than Rs.12 a day, are totally eliminated,” the party said in a statement here, a day after its politburo meeting.
The party said even the price of the reduced quota is not fixed, and objected to the proposal of cash transfer of subsidy, which it said “will mean putting consumers at the mercy of the market at a time when food inflation is extraordinarily high”.
“Worst of all, it accepts the totally flawed estimates of poverty by the Planning Commission as the basis of entitlement which excludes vast numbers of the poor from the subsidised food entitlements.
“In a disturbing addition, the draft bill wants specific identification of BPL even in presently universalised programmes such as NREGA, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), and mid-day meal schemes, which is unwarranted and unnecessary unless the government has a future plan of curbing universal access to these schemes,” it added.
- CPI-M denounces Food Security Bill - Dec 16, 2011
- Parliamentary panel on food bill to meet Jan 23 - Jan 18, 2012
- Tripura opposes food security bill - Oct 18, 2011
- Government promises 'reasonably priced' food for all - Aug 10, 2011
- Government to take states on board over food bill - Jan 10, 2012
- Government reviews food security bill - Feb 29, 2012
- Centre, states to discuss food bill (Lead) - Feb 06, 2012
- Landmark food security bill tabled in parliament (Lead) - Dec 22, 2011
- CPI cautions government against 'discriminatory' Food Security Act - Dec 28, 2009
- NAC okays Food Security Bill, to be sent to PM - Jun 22, 2011
- Iodised salt for Jharkhand poor at 50p a kg - Jul 31, 2011
- Jharkhand to provide lunch for Rs.5 to the poor - Aug 03, 2011
- Draft food security bill cleared - Mar 18, 2010
- Give surplus foodgrain free to poor: Apex court (Lead) - Aug 12, 2010
- Film stars, NRIs in Kerala's BPL list - Dec 27, 2011
Tags: apl, bpl, cardholders, child development, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, CPI, development scheme, draft bill, food insecurity, food security, mid day, planning commission, politburo, poverty line, public distribution system, quota, rs 2, security bill, universal access