Shanta Kumar says that he is thankful to those who filed the pil since he believes that the question of food security is of national concern. He also speaks of two schemes (Antyodaya and Annapoorna) which he has introduced last month to provide subsidised food to the poorest of the poor. Further, he stresses the point that foodgrains under the welfare schemes will be provided at 50 per cent of the procurement cost. But with prices linked to economic costs, the grains could still be beyond the reach of many.
In the final analysis, what is required is the political will to address the issue. Right now, the Union government and states as well as the fci blame each other. But the solution is clear and simple—the government should rectify flaws in the tpds to allow more people the benefit of subsidised foodgrains. But that might go against the new thinking in the government, of trimming the number of people covered by the pds. Maybe this makes economic sense. But allowing foodgrains to rot certainly doesn't.
Ajith Pillai and Murali Krishnan
