Food Security Act

UPA II after implementing NREGA and RTI takes on a new flagship programme. And theres been alot of print on the newly proposed Food Security Act recently.

The scheme proposes to provide BPL families with 25kgs of grain per month at Rs. 3 per kg.

While the implementation arrangements for the scheme are yet to be publicized, some points -

1. Targeting. Anytime someone hears BPL, the targeting issue comes up. Either revise the lists and account for central control, or come up with a new criteria (though this has been tried before and proven somewhat problematic).

2. The delivery problem. As is the core issue in many central schemes, the money does not reach beneficiaries. More importantly, there is no noticeable effect on outcomes.

3. There are already existing food security schemes. For example, Antodaya Anna Yojana provides grain at Rs. 2 per kg. Are there plans for the streamlining or elimination of this scheme? Additionally ration cards provide existing above poverty line families at heavily subsidized prices. In the past there have been several large scale food-for-work or food security schemes, which have had little impact. It is worth analyzing how this Act will differ from previous and current programmes.

Itll be interesting to see what the details are.

Ashok Gulati of IFPRI has a nice op-ed in the Mint.
In a 2005 evaluation of the PDS schemes, the planning commission extimates 58% of food did not reach BPL famililes.