Deadline for Food Act might be extended

Eighteen states have expressed their inability to complete rollout by September

Fearing spurt in prices of food items between July and December due to poor supplies, the Centre has directed all states to take strong action against hoarding and black-marketing of food items, particularly in areas prone to shortages, and start their own price monitoring cells.

The states have agreed to adopt a multi-pronged strategy, which includes reviewing the APMC Act for onions, potatoes and tomatoes to free inter-state movement. The food items most vulnerable to price rise are onions, potatoes, tomatoes, pulses, edible oils and rice.

"There has been slight increase in prices of pulses due to low production and for which we have decided to import 10,000 tonnes of pulses. Food inflation is under control and all states have assured us that they would take strict action against hoarders and black-marketers," Paswan later told reporters, after a day-long meeting of state food ministers in price rise and status of National Food Security Act.

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh who also addressed the meeting said there was no need for panic and the Centre was ready with a contingency plan for almost all districts of the country and would help the states in whatever manner possible in the event rains were below normal.

"So far, monsoon rains were better than expected, although there is a forecast of deficit rains this year too. Farmers need not panic. We are ready with contingency plans to tackle any possible impact of poor rains on kharif crops," Singh said.

The southwest monsoon is critical for India's agricultural growth, as more than half of the total arable land in the country does not have proper irrigation facilities.

Meanwhile, the Centre's plan to complete nationwide roll-out of the food security Act by September 2015 might come a cropper because as many as 18 big states, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and West Bengal have expressed their inability to complete the roll out of food law by September 30.

The Act, which provides legal entitlement for cheap grains to almost 67 per cent of the population, was passed by the previous United Progressive Alliance government in 2013 and had to implement within one year after proper identification of beneficiaries.

However, after the present National Democratic Alliance government came to power it had to extend the deadline for implementation as most states were not ready with their updated lists of beneficiaries and end-to-end computerization, which it had made mandatory for getting benefits under food Act.

Paswan warned that unless the Act is implemented, the Centre would be compelled to stop the ongoing additional grain allocation for below and above poverty line families from October 2015.

Most states also felt the Centre has lowered their grain allocation after the Food Act has been implemented as several eligible beneficiaries have been left out from its ambit. Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Gujarat complained that the process of digitisation of ration cards, end-to-end computerisation and electronic devices in point of sale is not complete; therefore they would need some more time.

Himachal Pradesh said the pre-condition put by the Centre of digitisation of ration cards before implementing NFSA goes against the basic objective of the Act and is not advisable.

West Bengal Food Minister Jyotipriya Maullick said after the land boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh some enclaves, which were earlier part of India, has moved to Bangladesh and hence a re-validation of ration card holders is being done, which is why it won't be able to adhere to the September 30 deadline. Bengal had earlier decided to partially implement the Act in three districts on a pilot basis before September 30.