CHENNAI VS DELHI-THE FOOD SECURITY DEBATE

Now that the much touted Food Security Act (FSA) is brought through the backdoor via the despicable route of an Ordinance, bypassing the Parliament, many states who are in the forefront in running efficient Public Distribution System (PDS) with high degree of efficiency and low pilferage are being penalized by making them restrict the coverage to only those who are poor. In a state like Himachal Pradesh, if reports are to be believed even the family of the Chief Minister buys the ration through the PDS shops at subsidized prices. Same is true with Tamil Nadu also which boasts of a highly efficient PDS plus several programs like distribution of subsidized fresh fruits and vegetables and low cost canteens selling popular preparations at very low pries for the benefit of poor people. FSA ordinance can adversely affect such programs which is a retrograde step with dangerous consequences to the citizenry. Here is a critic's view of the FSA ordinance and its implications.

"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has emerged among the strongest voices against the Food Security Bill, which is being pushed by the UPA government. She recently wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to exempt Tamil Nadu from the implementation of the ordinance that brought the Food Security Bill into force. Apart from the political overtones that such a request might be seen to have, experts in the field of food policy say there could be sound logic to Jayalalithaa's plea for exemption. Jayalalithaa had reasoned that Tamil Nadu has for many years now had a Public Distribution System (PDS) that can be availed by all the residents of the State. She said the introduction of the provisions of the Food Security Bill would remove the cover from a portion of the population, ruining the all-inclusive nature of Tamil Nadu's PDS cover. The Food Security Bill makes provisions for different categories of beneficiaries, with the aim to allot more food grains to poor families and less for the better off. A majority of political parties have objected to provisions of the Food Security Bill, especially with relation to the structures and procedures for the determination of beneficiaries and the mode of distribution itself. The continuing lack of clarity on these fronts was behind the repeated disruption of proceedings in Parliament whenever the Bill came up for discussion. The Bill also saw strong opposition from a number of State governments. States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan have over the years made changes to their PDS structures to make them more inclusive, based either on local needs or on political considerations. The implementation of the Food Security Bill would mean an erosion of the political gains from the inclusiveness of these systems. Tamil Nadu has had PDS-for-all plus a strong co-operative movement and government interventions. The Amma Unavagams and Farm Fresh Consumer Outlets, which offer subsidised vegetables, fall under the category of interventions. According to Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu's systems and interventions have given greater food and nutrition security than can possibly be delivered by the Food Security Bill in its present form'.

There are many critics who have raised their voice against the FSA ordinance and all their criticisms have been brushed aside by the government which calls this foolish program with grave economic consequences to the country as a "game changer". People of this country will never forgive these politicians for the political chicanery being indulged by them for the sake of electoral gains and will see through the game by the time general election arrives in a few months time from now. The rotten grains that lie with the government grain agencies which otherwise are not even fit for animal consumption are going to be supplied in the coming months once the FSA is operationalized and then only the people are going to realize the magnitude of fraud the government is indulging in the name of food security! Unfortunately many opposing political groups do not have the guts to point out the failings of the policy for fear of consumer backlash. As one critic has recently pointed out Government is more bothered about quantity rather than quality and nutrition and this is amply proven by the lethargy with which the food safety and standards act is being implemented leaving the market in the hands of fraudsters and adulterators giving them free hand to indulge in trading in unsafe foods. During the coming twelve months Indian citizens may face the reality of all round food inflation and food scarcity because of the opportunistic policies of the present government. 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WATER, WATER, WATER-A NATIONAL COMEDY!

Water is a precious material which is increasingly becoming scarce with each passing day. Compared to the position India was fifty years ago vis-a-vis water availability, the situation has become grave with drinking water becoming a commercial commodity, sold at exorbitant prices by the bottling industry to exploit the scarcity situation to the hilt. Governments at the Center as well as in the States vested with the responsibility of ensuring the well being of the citizens failed the nation by decades of maladministration and mismanagement as far water conservation and protected water supply are concerned. In a way if the industry is laughing all the way to their banks, thanks are largely due to the politicians and bureaucrats who run the governments! While in many cities in Europe, Canada and the United States active campaigns are undertaken to persuade citizens to consume the protected water supplied to them so that bottled water consumption is discouraged, in India practically every tap that supplies water is a source of danger to the citizens unless the same is filtered and boiled before consumption!  What a paradox! To add insult to the injury, the processors of water pay scant attention to the quality of product sold by them and recently many independent investigators who monitored the quality of water sold by many brands found that they do not conform to national standards prescribed in the statute books. Here is a take on this sorry situation in the country.

"After complaints about safety of bottled water sold in the national capital, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has written to the food regulator to check the bottling plants supplying such drinking water in Delhi and their water sources.  T he minister has also written to the Food Safety and Standards Association (FSSA) to check the chemical contents in the water bottles sold in and around Delhi and whether they are fit for human consumption. In a letter to FSSAI, which is responsible for maintaining standards of quality in anything consumed by people, Azad today asked the food regulator to depute teams to check water samples of all water sources and test the plants of bottling companies. Health Ministry sources said Azad's letters follows numerous complaints received by him about poor quality of bottled water sold in the open market. The Minister asked the regulator to check the contents of chemicals and ascertain their permissible limits to check if the bottling companies are using proper purification systems. Sources say the complaints refer to certain water sources from where the bottling plants are getting raw water and allege that the companies are using chemicals above the permissible limits to purify the water. Sources said the water samples of all brands, including those manufactured by top MNCs and government-run companies, would be taken".

What can one make out of the "Letter" from the Health Minister of the country to the FSSAI in which he "orders" the latter to "check" the quality of water marketed by the industry in Delhi only? Does this mean that citizens living in other parts of the country need not have any safety assurance from the industry? Probably the industry seems to have taken a cue from the Minister's obsession with Delhi and accordingly they are sending their sub-quality product consignments to far way places like Kerala! Health Minister in a country has the responsibility to ensure supply of food and water with impeccable quality and safety through the enormous vigilance infrastructure controlled by his ministry. As a guardian of health of its citizens he should have seen to it that all the municipal and panchayat areas are provided with safe drinking water. In stead he is doing a semantic exercise by writing letters to an office which is located in the same area from where his Ministry is also working! Can there be more insult to the citizen than this? One  wonders whether he had sent his letter through Indian Post or through courier service and whether the FSSAI has really received it!   

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com