The much anticipated food security law would be implemented by the year-end, the Union Food Minister, Mr K.V. Thomas, said on Wednesday. The law will endow legal rights to poor Indians to obtain foodgrains at subsidised rates.

The Government will endeavour to enact the Food Security Bill into law in the next session of Parliament, Mr Thomas told newspersons on the sidelines of 2nd YES Bank- Hindu Business Line Food and Agri Business Conclave in the Capital.

The latest edition of this conclave focused on supply chain issues and how foodgrains can be delivered at low wastage and low intermediation cost to customers.

At present, the Centre's food subsidy bill is around Rs 1,09,000 crore. Once the law is implemented, the total subsidy component will go up to Rs 1,12,000 crore. So, if the Centre were to implement the proposed Food Security Bill, the additional commitment will be Rs 3,000-4,000 crore. A country like India has the capacity to bear this additional commitment, Mr Thomas said.

The National Food Security Bill 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011. Under the proposed Bill, every person belonging to ‘priority' household would be entitled to receive 7 kg of foodgrains per month.

Every ‘general' category person would be entitled to not less than 3 kg of grains. The Bill provides for supply of rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2/kg and coarse cereals at Re 1/kg to these households.

Mr Siraj Hussain, Chairman and Managing Director, Food Corporation of India, stressed the need to rationalise the taxation structure to change the skewed procurement. He said in certain States, 99 per cent of market arrivals were procured by the Government, while in many others, the Government was not effective. This has to change, he said.

Mr D. Sampathkumar, Editor, The Hindu Business Line , said that were a number of success stories in Indian agriculture. There was need to revel in such stories so that one is not captivated by the doom and gloom predicted for Indian agriculture, he added.

While India has been very good in envisaging large schemes and projects, he pointed out that it somehow seems to have failed in last mile connectivity. If India addresses this problem in agriculture, it would certainly help bring about a second green revolution, he said.

krsrivats@thehindu.co.in

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