Food Security Bill faces bumpy road ahead

States like TN, Odisha, Bihar, UP have raised objections to the Centre's plan

The government might have been pushing hard for making its ambitious National Food Security Bill a reality, but if concerns from states are any indication it definitely has a bumpy road ahead.

Big states like Tamil Nadu and Odisha have raised objections to the Centre’s plan to either keep their annual foodgrain allotment under the Bill at the same level as before or reduce it. While others like Bihar want the Central government to bear all the expenses of running the programme and not to burden the states with it. Uttar Pradesh, though, is opposing the Bill on other reasons, though its grain allocation under Food Bill will increase (see chart).

However, Congress-ruled states like Delhi, Uttarakhand, Assam and Karnataka have expressed their intention to start distributing foodgrains as per the new provisions in the next few months.

But, experts believe that the true success of the ambitious programme can only be felt if it is successfully implemented at least in big states.

The ministry though feels that once few start implementing the provisions of the Act, others too would do so. On its part it has introduced a provision in the Bill wherein states have been given six months time to update their beneficiary list, make other preparations for cheap distribution of grains etc.

The Bill which has been implemented across the country through an ordinance has now been tabled in Parliament in the form of revised law.

The original version of the Bill was tabled in 2011 and thereafter referred to a standing committee of Parliament.  

In its revised version the Bill promises to give 5 kilograms of either rice, wheat or coarse cereals every month to each identified beneficiary at a heavily subsidized rate of Rs 3 per kg for rice Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg for coarse cereals. It will cover almost 67% of the Indian population of which at least 75% will be in rural areas and 50% in urban areas.

The state-wise cut-offs would be based on Socio-Economic Caste Census, while the actual beneficiaries falling within those cut-offs will be determined by the respective state governments.

Officials said after the Bill becomes a law, ideally Tamil Nadu’s annual allocation of foodgrains should come down by almost 1.2 million tonne less in comparison to its average annual offtake between 2009-10 to 20 11-12. But, ministry officials said its allocation would not be reduced, instead it would continue to get the same amount of foodgrains as was its offtake between 2009-10 to 2011-12 and there would not be any incremental rise.

Similarly, most of North-Eastern states would either see no change in their annual foodgrains allocation or a reduction as per the provisions of the Bill.

The biggest gainers are expected to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan who would see that annual foodgrains allocation rise by 9.63 million tonne, 5.60 million tonne and 3.01 million tonne after the Bill comes into force.

 

States	Avg Annual Offtake*	Allocation Under Food Bill*	Gainers/Losers
UP	6.55	9.63	3.08
Bihar	2.66	5.6	2.93
Rajasthan	1.97	3.01	1.03
Tamil Nadu	3.78	2.57	-1.2
Kerala	1.34	0.91	-0.42
Jammu & Kashmir	0.75	0.45	-0.2

*in million tonnes

Note: States for whom allocation will go down, the Centre will ensure that atleast grains are distributed as per earlier quota. The average annual offtake is calculated on the basis of average offtake under the existing Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in three years 2009-10 to 2011-12, including AAY.

Source: Food Ministry