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Food Security Bill to ensure food for all, claims Thomas | Food Minister K.V. Thomas on Wednesday said that the proposed
National Food Security Bill marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of
food security - from it being viewed as a welfare approach to a right-based approach.
Launching the bulletin on food justice in India brought out by the Oxfam India,
the institute of development studies and the centre for legislative research and
advocacy here, Thomas said: "The Act seeks to address the issue of food security
in the country in a holistic manner by adopting a life cycle approach." Highlighting
the provisions of the Food Security Bill, Thomas said that, the proposed Act provides
for about two thirds of the population to become entitled to receive subsidized
food-grains under targeted public distribution system, with special focus on nutritional
support to women and children. "Elaborate provisions for grievance redressal mechanism
have also been made in the Bill besides other provisions for ensuring transparency
and accountability such as disclosure of records of targeted public distribution
system (TPDS), social audit and vigilance committees at various levels," he said.
"The Bill is at present under consideration of the standing committee on food,
consumer affairs and public distribution. The Government is awaiting the outcome
of deliberations by the standing committee so that we could take further action
to take the Bill forward," he added. Reiterating the Government commitment for
food security, Thomas said that ensuring adequate quantities of food at affordable
prices has been a focus of planning and policy of Government of India. "To ensure
food security at the individual or household level, the Government of India implements
various schemes in partnership with State Governments and Union Territory Administrations,"
he said. "The Government is implementing the Targeted Public Distribution system
(TPDS) under which food-grains at subsidized rates are provided to below poverty
line and above poverty line households through a network of more than five lakh
fair price shops spread across the country," he added. Thomas further said: "Currently,
allocations of subsidized food-grains is being made for about 6.5 crore BPL households,
which includes 2.5 crore AAY households, and 11.5 crore APL households." "Besides,
Government is also implementing schemes to specifically address the concerns related
to malnutrition, especially among women and children, through schemes like Integrated
Child Development Services, Mid-Day Meal, Annapoorna," he added. |
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