India is known to be a reservoir of economists. There are a lot of facts about the Food Security Bill (FSB) - which is before the Parliament for discussion - that need to be published. It is a well known fact that a family of five people cannot consume more than 600 kg of wheat or rice in a year. It is also clear that more than 80 per cent of the population/households in villages have their own 600 kg of wheat or rice since they are farmers or have the capacity to purchase grains with their own funds. Under the FSB, 75 per cent of the households in villages will be provided subsidised foodgrains. For this, our government will have to invest in procuring food grain, store it in godowns and then after meeting the transportation cost etc, the grains will be given to 75 per cent of the people at subsidised rates in the same villages where the grain is grown.
My short question is, why is the government trying to provide subsidised foodgrain even to those who have their own grain in their houses or have the capacity to buy it? And why are such people a part of the 75 per cent of the population entitled to subsidised food grains?
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My short question is, why is the government trying to provide subsidised foodgrain even to those who have their own grain in their houses or have the capacity to buy it? And why are such people a part of the 75 per cent of the population entitled to subsidised food grains?
S C Aggarwal New Delhi
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number