Food Bill to hit rice allocation to Odisha, says Naveen

The Bill to slash total rice allocation to Odisha by 12,000 tonne a month due to its new method for allocation

The National Food Security Bill, aimed to give nation's two-third population the right to get five kgs of food grains every month at subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg, will slash total rice allocation to Odisha by 12,000 tonne a month due to its new method for allocation.

"It is understood that overall rice allotment to the state would decrease from 1, 82,000 tonne per month at present to 1,70,000 tonne. This will have a serious impact on the state," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said at the inauguration ceremony of a food grain storage center, which was also attended by Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Prof. K.V. Thomas.

Raising the issue of introduction of the new system of entitlement in the Bill, the chief minister said, it will also reduce per-family rice allocation significantly.

The new system provides for 5 kg of food grains per person every month whereas as under the present system followed by the state government each family is getting 25 kg per month.

After the implementation of the act, small families and old couples living alone may get only 10 to 15 kg of food grains per month. This will have serious adverse impact on the household food security of smaller families, the Chief Minister said.

Patnaik said, the new Bill has no mention about provisions for special groups like Annapurna Beneficiaries, Emergency Feeding and Rice to SC/ST Hostels.

Reacting to Patnaik's statement Thomas said, while the present allocation will remain intact, the new Bill will cover more population of Odisha. "Odisha will actually benefit by the implementation of the Bill as we will be covering 54 per cent urban population and 79 per cent rural population here, against the national average of 50 per cent and 75 per cent," he said at a press meet. Thomas attended the inauguration ceremony of 15,000 tonne storage facility at Jatani, 30 km from Bhubaneswar, which is built by Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC).