Fears of poor left out compels govt to think Plan 'B'

Concerned over fears that the ongoing Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) — which will decide the number of beneficiaries who are entitled to cheap grains under the proposed Food Security Act — might not include a significant number of poor households, a Plan ‘B’ of the food Bill is being mooted by a section of the civil society.

Plan ‘B” seeks to merge the general and priority category households and rename them as ‘aam log’.

Giving every ‘aam’ household a uniform 25-30 kilograms of grains per month as against the current proposal of 35 kilograms of grains per month for priority sector households and 15 kilograms for general category households consisting of an average five members each.

The rate of sale of grains remains the same at Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg for coarse cereals.

The plan also suggests maintaining the ongoing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) which targets the poorest of the poor.

The plan ‘B’ seeks to allay fears of problems arising out of reduction in the monthly quantity of grains for below poverty line categories on the grounds that not many states actually give 35 kilograms of grains to BPL or priority sector households.

Under the Plan ‘B’, the annual requirement of grains would come down to 48.6 million tonnes if 25 kilograms is supplies as against a requirement of 52.4 million tonnes as estimated by the draft Food Security Bill.

The requirement of grains would however be 58.3 kilograms if 30 kilograms is distributed per month.