Food security act: Government yet to determine poverty line criteria

The government is yet to take a call on the methodology to determine the number of people living below the poverty line (BPL) for the proposed National Food Security Act, parliament was informed Friday.

“The government is also studying various suggestions to provide food security like issuing food stamps or cash to reduce the complex mechanism to reach out to the poor," Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to a supplementary, he said he had received reports from experts and the Planning Commission on the number or percentage of people living below the poverty line.

“It is difficult, at present, to adopt a methodology based on these reports as they are contradictory. The government is yet to take a final view on this crucial issue,” Pawar added.

Responding to a query by N.K. Singh (Janata Dal-United) on the measures proposed to cut down the complex mechanism for providing food security to the poor, Pawar said he had received suggestions like issuing food stamps or giving cash to the poor.

The minister said he had received a suggestion from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to give cash to BPL families for buying food.

Replying to a question from Shobhana Bhartia (nominated) on enlarging the ambit of the proposed National Food Security Act, he said the government was studying all the aspects as it involved a huge financial burden.

“The Antodaya scheme provides 35 kilos of rice and wheat at Rs.2 per kg. The proposed act would provide 25 kilos of rice and wheat at Rs.3 per kg. Moreover, some states have further subsidised food and are selling it at less than the Antodaya scheme,” Pawar pointed out.

Last updated on Jul 10^th, 2009 at 19:11 pm IST--IANS