Bill has provision for free meals, besides an allowance of Rs 6,000 to all pregnant women.
Ahead of assembly elections in seven states next year, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is planning a big push towards its social security agenda. For, its Cabinet note on Food Security Bill has incorporated a provision for free meals, besides a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for six months to all pregnant women and lactating mothers across the country.
Such privileges would elude women who work in government organisations or central public sector units or are beneficiaries of any other similar schemes, according to the note. The much talked-about Bill is slated to be presented in the winter session of Parliament starting tomorrow.
| ‘POLL’ DOLE |
| * Lactating mothers also to get free meals and an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month for six months |
| * The infant mortality rate in 2009 was 50 per 1,000 births* |
| * The maternal mortality ratio in 2007-08 was 212 per 100,000 females* |
| * Life expectancy at birth for females was 64.2 years as on 2004* |
| * Government employees and those working in PSU or covered under any other similar schemes to be kept out of the purview of this provision |
| * One free meal to destitute persons |
| * Affordable meals to all homeless people |
| * Free meals for children up to the age of 14 years |
| * States can give wheat flour in place of grains if needed |
| * The Bill seeks to cap the coverage of rural population at 75 per cent and that of urban at 50 per cent. The Sonia Gandhi-lead National Advisory Council wanted the coverage to be higher for rural population, while the Rangarajan committee sought to make it lower |
| * In case of non-availability of grains, complaints can be registered through call centres and helplines |
The move could add to the government’s burden on finances, as the implementation of the proposed law would lead to a rise in the food subsidy bill to over Rs 100,000 crore from the current Rs 60,000 crore.
The legislation was earlier expected to be enforced from the beginning of next financial year. Officials now say the government plans to roll it out sometime in the remaining months of this financial year. The roll-out for both the priority and general category households will happen simultaneously.
If it happens in this financial year (because of political compulsions), the government may have to bear the brunt of increasing subsidies amid a deteriorating fiscal situation.
The Bill adopts a “life-cycle approach”. That is, it would provide meals to identified people throughout their lives. It will also provide for legal entitlements for free meals to children up to 14 years of age.
More From This Section
Free meals to all identified women will be provided during pregnancy as well as six months after child birth — through the local anganvadis. The Bill also proposes legal entitlement for one free meal a day for the destitute. It also guarantees affordable meals to the homeless at community kitchens. For the migrant population, the Bill seeks to provide legal entitlement for meals at the place where they currently reside.
In the case of any disaster or emergency situation, the Bill authorises the state governments to provide the affected households two meals free of charge for a period of up to three months from the date of disaster.
For starvation-affected areas, two meals free of charge will be provided for a period of six months through a scheme in which the central government will share the cost. Under the Bill, three-fourths of the rural population and half the urban population will have legal entitlement for cheap grains. Of this, at least 46 per cent of rural population and 28 per cent of urban population should belong to the priority-sector households. The remaining will be general-category households.
Priority and general category will have bifurcation similar to the current divide of below and above the poverty line. The government will, from time to time, prescribe guidelines for the identification of such households.
Priority-category households will be entitled to a monthly minimum of seven kilograms of grains per person, while those in the general category will be entitled to three kg per person a month.
For priority category, rice will be supplied at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg and coarse grains at Rs 1 per kg.
The general-category households will get grains at price which is 50 per cent of the minimum support price of that commodity.
If need arises, the Bill will provide the state governments the right to provide wheat flour in place of grains. If any beneficiary does not receive his/her share of grains, one will have the option to complain through call centres, help lines or to the designated nodal officers. The Bill provides for a external grievance redressal mechanism by the Centre and the states.