Omkar Dattatray
We are living in a welfare state and it is the responsibility of the government to see that people do not suffer due to hunger and no one should go to bed without food .It is a fact that under the previous UPA government some poor people faced hunger and they go to sleep with empty stomach .Realizing the importance of food security for the country ,Modi government has made scientific provisions for the food security of citizens so that there is hunger in the country and everyone will have security of food .Modi government deserves all appreciation for making provision of food security to its citizens .In this connection Food Security Act has been passed by the Modi government and under the law every citizen is guaranteed food security so that there is no hunger death in the country and all the citizens are ensured two square meals.
At least eighty crore people will be benefitted,and BJP is likely to use the commitment to underline its welfare politics in the Lok Sabha election campaign .What is the food security act and what was the PM -GKAY ? Prime minister Narendra Modi has announced the extension of the central government’s free food grains scheme under the National Food Security Act(NFSA) ,2013 for next five years .He made the announcement at election rallies in MP and Chhattisgarh .The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM_GKAY ) ,the pandemic -time relief measure under which an additional 5 kg of food grains was supplied free to all beneficiaries of the NFSA from April 2020 onwards ,was stopped with effect from January 1,2023 .However it was again extended for five years and it is a big public welfare and food security measure .The cabinet led by prime minister has decided that the central government will provide free food grains to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of five years with effect from 1st January 2024.This is a historic decision that places PMGKAY amongst the world’s biggest social welfare schemes aimed at ensuring food and nutrition securirty for 81.35 crore persons ,at an estimated cost of Rs 11.80 lakh crore over a 5 years PM Modi said climate change is causing extreme weather events more and more frequently ,and these challenges are felt most by global south .Stating that the agriculture sector is facing several challenges globally ,PM Modi on June 16 urged the G20 agriculture Ministers meeting to deliberate on how to undertake collective action for achieving global food security .”Globally ,agriculture provides livelihood to over 2.5 billion people In the global south .agriculture accounts for almost 30% of the GDP and over 60% of jobs and today this sector faces several challenges.
The supply chain disruption caused by the pandemic has worsened by the impact of geopolitical tensions .Said PM Modi .Free ration scheme to be extended for five years .The scheme provides 5kg of free food grain per month to 81 crore NFSA beneficiaries, and ,PM reiterated that poor are the biggest caste group in the country .The Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana was introduced in 2020 as a pandemic relief measure ,providing 5kg of free food grains per beneficiary per month in addition to the 5kg of subsidized food grains they were entitled to under the National Food Security Act. ”Today I want to tell the poor brothers and sisters of the country from the land of Durg that I decided that BJP government will now extend the scheme of providing free ration to 80 crore poor people of the country for next five years” he said .He stated that poor are the biggest caste .The PM said that he took such a decision because he himself came from a poor family ,claiming that his government has taken 135 crore people out of poverty across the country and was empowering them .Referring to the poor as ”the biggest caste in my country ,”he alleged that some political parties were dissolving the poison of casteism in the air ,an oblique reference to demands for a cast census made by congress and its allies in recent times.The
cabinet led by prime minister has decided that the central government will provide free food grains to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of five years with effect from 1st January 2024.
The National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA 2013) converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programs of the government of India .It also includes the Midday Meal Scheme ,integrated child Development Services scheme ,and the public distribution system .Food security has been a major concern in India .In 2022,the Global Food Security index ranked India at 68th out of the 113 major countries in terms of food security .In 2023,the Global Hunger index ranked India at 111th out of 125 countries .According to United Nations ,there are nearly 195 million undernourished people in India that makes up a quarter of the worlds undernourished population .In addition ,roughly 43% of children in India are chronically undernourished .Though the current nutritional standards meets 100% of daily food needs ,India lags behind in terms of a quality protein intake at 20% ,this shortcoming can be alleviated by making available protein -rich food products such as soybeans, lentils, meat, eggs, dairy, etc more readily accessible and affordable for Indian citizens.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that India is operating at only 56.8% of its capacity based its economic power to ensure its citizens have adequate food security.
In brief Modi government is making concerted efforts to provide food security to its people mainly the poor through its various schemes and programs so that people are provided quality and nutritious food grain and to ensure that no one goes to bed without food and this is a big achievement of the BJP rule and it needs to be acknowledged and appreciated by one and all.
(The author is a columnist,
social and KP activist).
