PRICE RISE AND FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

This Congress led UPA II government is no doubt among the governments most insensitive to the plight of the common people. While the people, particularly the poor, are reeling under the unrelenting rise in the prices of all essential commodities, the government went ahead with yet another hike of Rs 2.50 in the price of petrol. This is nothing but cruelty towards the poor. After the petrol prices were deregulated petrol prices increased seven times in a span of six months; the latest one being the second time in a month.

In stead of taking effective measures to curb the price rise and provide some relief to the people who are finding it impossible to make ends meet, the Congress and its partners in government are indulging in a blame game. While the all powerful AICC general secretary has blamed coalition politics for the failure to curb prices, a leader of a coalition partner advised him to learn from Italy’s experiences. Sharad Pawar, the agricultural minister washed his hands off any responsibility by claiming that his ministry was only concerned with wheat, rice, pulses, oil seeds and sugar. He could not be bothered with the rise in the prices of onions or ladyfinger!

Nobody in this government seems to be worried in the least about the disgraceful fact that India is at present the world record holder for malnutrition, both in absolute terms and in terms of the proportion of malnourished persons. The only way to eliminate such hunger and malnutrition is by universalising the public distribution system.

But the Manmohan Singh government has been adamantly refusing to universalise the PDS. The much touted food security bill has been continuously diluted, first by the National Advisory Council (NAC) under Sonia Gandhi and further by the Rangarajan Committee appointed by the Prime Minister to consider the NAC proposals. It is appalling that a Committee to consider food security as a right for all citizens has recommended measures to legally establish a public distribution system that would narrowly target the beneficiaries on the grounds of feasibility.

What is more reprehensible is the recommendation of the Rangarajan Committee to link the prices of cereals distributed through the PDS to the rate of inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers, i.e., the prices of rice, wheat or other cereals distributed in the ration shops would automatically increase with the rise in the CPI for Agricultural Labourers. This is nothing but an attack on even the present inadequate food security of the poor. The wages of agricultural labourers, of unorganised sector workers and poor peasants are not linked with the Consumer Price Index. They have no job security, no wage security. But now they would have to pay more for whatever food they get from ration shops whenever there is increase in the Consumer Price Index! A novel way indeed to ensure food security!

It is to warn the government against such a callous attitude that lakhs of workers from all corners of the country will ‘March to Parliament’ on 23rd February. As we go to press reports pouring in from different states and industries indicate that this would be a truly historic ‘March’ in the history of the trade union movement in the country.

The government had better take note that it can ignore the demands of the workers and the people only at its own peril.

Courtesy: www.citucentre.org/