The NREGS is restricted. The PDS is targeted. Only exploitation is universal.
The rotting of lakhs of tonnes of foodgrain in open yards, while shocking, is hardly new or surprising. Remember the rural poor marching on godowns in Andhra Pradesh in 2001 in similar circumstances? The Supreme Court was quite right in jolting the Union government. “In a country where admittedly people are starving, it is a crime to waste even a single grain,” said the annoyed Court. And suggested that the grain be released to those who deserve it.
Strong and welcome words. However, the Court could take matters much further if it sees why the Government of India would rather have that grain rot than let the hungry eat it. The failure to understand that leads us to pit poor against poor. To see people in the APL category as the enemies of those who are BPL. Hence the suggestion that we take away grain from one to give it to the other. APL was itself a fiction created by the government to “reduce” the number of poor it was obliged to help. So the GoI would act selectively on this part of the Court's advice with glee. This would exclude those in APL from even the pathetic little aid they get.
It will ignore the more important order of the Court to distribute the grain before it rots. It might pull up Food Corporation of India officers unable to look after the grain but who did not cause it to pile up in the first place. When you have twice the grain you are equipped to stock, you have a problem. The GoI could distribute that grain. Or release it at low prices through the public distribution system. It would hate either option. That would run against the grain of its ideology and economics. Letting the hungry eat it would, for the government, increase the “subsidy burden.” Why would the government do that after successfully slashing Rs. 450 crore from food subsidy in the current budget?
Two arguments mark the opposition to a universal system (whether in the PDS or other sectors like health). One, there is no money. Two, we do not have enough grain for a universal system.
The nation has spawned 49 dollar billionaires and about a 100,000 dollar millionaires in a decade. But it has no money to feed its hungry. So says a government that tosses Rs.500,000 crore of tax exemptions to the wealthy in the current budget under just three heads.
Not producing enough grain? Well, we spent two decades shifting countless lakhs of farmers from growing food to raising cash crops. That shift involved greater input costs, higher debt and more. We sowed risk and harvested hunger.
The impact on foodgrain? The average daily net per capita availability of foodgrain between 2005 and 2008 is a dismal 436 grams per Indian. That's less than it was half a century ago. In 1955-58, it was 440 grams. Take pulses separately and the fall is 50 per cent. Around 35 grams in 2005-08 from nearly 70 grams in 1955-58.
This hasn't stopped governments from claiming “record production” every other year. Remember the “record surpluses” in 2001-03? Those years we exported millions of tonnes of grain at prices lower than those offered to our own deprived. That grain fed European cattle — the most food-secure creatures on earth. While hundreds of millions went hungry at home. Today's rotting grain, too, will at some point be flogged off to private traders at throwaway rates.
These last two decades also saw the collapse of public investment in agriculture. To starve farming of funds and say we haven't enough grain is a travesty. Actually, commit yourself to universalisation, revive food crop, give the farmer a good price and boost the dismal levels of procurement that now exist. You'd be surprised how fast you can meet that challenge of production.
Instead, we seem to be heading, courtesy the National Advisory Council (NAC), for a “universal” system in 150 districts. “Universal” here could mean rice or wheat at Rs. 3 a kg to a limit of 35 kg per household. This “universal” stops at rice and wheat, will not include pulses, oils and millets, does not see the size of a household and is limited to a fourth of the country. You can't, goes the saying, be a little bit pregnant. You can't be a little bit universal either. The debate between “targeting” — which is what the 150-districts notion is — and a universal PDS is not one over different routes to the same goal. It is one over different goals. You are either universal, or you are not. This move invites chaos.
First, as an editorial (August 10) in this newspaper pointed out, this seems to equate hunger with geography. What of millions in other districts? Are they not hungry? And how, for instance, would this impact on millions of poor migrant labourers?
Take Orissa's Ganjam district which sends out four lakh migrant workers to Surat alone in Gujarat. Now Ganjam could well be in the 150 districts. How will its hungry migrants access that grain in Surat? Surely, Surat will not be in the list of 150? Can't you just see the store keeper in Surat telling the migrant: “Yes, son, I've seen the law, too. Here's your rice at Rs. 3.”
Meanwhile, even as these migrants fail to access their Rs. 3 a kilo grain, Ganjam could well be dropped from the list of 150 at some point — citing “poor demand.” Thane in Maharashtra with its famished adivasis, could well be a Rs.3-a-kilo district. Next door is Mumbai where rice goes at Rs.30 to Rs.40 a kilo. Result? Most of Thane's cheap rice will migrate to Mumbai.
Or take agricultural labourers in Orissa. An adult needs at least 750 grams of rice a day. So a family of five (including children) needs around 3 kg of rice a day. Let's say they cannot manage more than 2.75 kg a day. They would still consume 82.5 kilos a month. The new “universal” would give them 35 kg of that for Rs.105. The remaining 47.5 kg, at Rs. 22 a kilo or more, would cost them well over Rs.1000. Where will they get that from?
Why do lakhs migrate each year from Kalahandi or Bolangir seeking work outside when the NREGS exists in those districts? Why do so many prefer the lesser pay of brick kilns in Andhra Pradesh? One major reason is that the NREGS restricts them to 100 days per household. In the awful brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh, every member of a five-strong family (including children) can get work for up to 180-200 days. The NREGS is restricted. The PDS is targeted. Only exploitation is universal.
Yet the debate has been over things like whether each family should have 25 or 35 kg. This is an Oliver Twist approach to food security. “Please, sir, I want some more.” Coming from within the NAC, that wrongly casts Montek Ahluwalia of the Planning Commission in the role of Bumble, or Pranab Mukherjee as Fagin. In truth, the two make Bumble and Fagin seem reckless philanthropists. But there's a bigger problem to what's going on. It happens with each sector. The sequence is the same.
The good guys create a demand for legislation. The government agrees. Next, the well-intentioned come up with a draft the government then dilutes. After which the Planning Commission declares the effort to still be unworkable. So it's thinned down again. Then the Finance Ministry says: “where's the money?” And it's watered down to an irrelevance. What remains is something that enshrines the right of the Indian people to cross the street (when the green signal that says ‘walk' is on).
Obviously it fails badly in practice. Targeting always does. That's when Bumble, Fagin, The Artful Dodger and the rest of the Dickensian crew come up with what will be their solution to every such problem: smart cards, unique identification numbers, food stamps, vouchers and cash transfers. (And GM foods to meet production targets.) That's where it's headed — towards a worse disaster.
The food security legislation in the form that now seems likely weakens and dilutes the Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution. Those are universal, not targeted. Sure, we have to move towards making them real. But we need at every stage to ask whether the steps we take strengthen or weaken the Directive Principles. These steps on food security weaken them. Also when we act in isolation in one sector like food, we undermine the vital others. What we could do with is a comprehensive universal programme that covers nutrition, work, health and education. At one time, for one nation.
Keywords: public distribution system, food security bill, NREGS, P. Sainath, Pranab Mukherjee, foodgrain
It is a good move !!!
A wonderful, eye-opening, thoughtful, incisive and frank article. It is a very painful truth about the governance of India, not only by this government but also be the previous governments.
My only disappointment is that we cannot just write such articles, leave such comments and then forget about it all. We MUST STAND UP AND CHANGE what we see as wrong. We have a DUTY to ourselves, our country and its citizens to correct these wrongs.
Thank you Sainath for speaking truth to power. Sadly, those in power see no truth, hear no truth and speak no truth.
An excellent report on rural India and its pathetic state. Incidentally, I read this report after reading the report of 3rd meeting of Performance Review Committee by the ministry of rural development and Panchayati Raj (RD & PR). While the author of this article, Mr. Sainath, feels that the NREGA is poorly equipped and had clearly misconstrued its objectives, the PRC had stated that the disbursement of wages is the biggest problem that NREGA is facing now. Honorable Minister C P Joshi had advised the State Governments to put adequate staff at all levels, see that wage payments are made in the accounts of job card holders without delay; and make the mechanism of material procurements simple but foolproof. Despite all this, Government feels that investing more Information Technology in NREGS would help simplify the process and make things even fast.
An excellent article, superb analysis, piercing approach, emotional appeal, pragmatic solution and humanistic endeavour. Congratulations for an excellent effort. It is the good fortune of our nation that such noble souls, like that of P.Sainath, are still available to raise the issues which finds no mention in the mainstream media.
A nation aspiring to be a super power cannot do so on the frail shoulders of hunger and malnourished populace. The mirage of India's development and her ascendancy will be obvious if timely corrections are not done.
Only one point is missing in this article - Capitalist system has failed the common man in India. When every aspect of human life is subordinated to profit motives and special interests, one cannot expect "universal programme that covers nutrition, work, health and education". Even USA(most capitalist) has and remains the most unequal societies in the world!!
Can someone please remind the government about the 'Food for Work Scheme'
Excellent article! I think clarity and objectivity of the analysis comes from P. Sainath's brilliant understanding of the rural and poor India. But I think fixing the current system needs lot of focus and political will to make difficult choices. I don't see either of that in the leadership of the current government. They think they won in 2009 due to NREGS so they need a clone of NREGS in next 2-3 years.
NREGS has a lot of loopholes which is important to bring out otherwise its just taken as something very good the current government has done for the poor. media has been all praises for it which is dangerous as it gives out the wrong picture. only The Hindu writes critically about it. it has to be checked before the poor are really exploited by it without anybody realising it.
How long can one distribute food? The major problem is the lack of purchasing power as the poor are unemployed or underemployed. All organised jobs--in government and local bodies-- must follow a 3-day week system. 50% of people will work from Monday to Wedneday and the other half,from Thursday to Saturday two people will share a job.This will remove astronomical unemployment and increase the purchasing power of many.
After having read many of your articles it seems like a hopeless cause. Every where there is corruption of some sort and you rightfully say, "Only exploitation is universal."
The country seems to be hurtling down a hill in full speed and a disaster is certain. But no one seems to care because the disaster always happens to the poor in this country. Millions could die / be affected badly but it even fails to make the headlines, while Bollywood stars kissing is always BREAKING NEWS.
While the rest of India celebrates Independence Day I still don't see us independent as a nation. Everything is to show the world that we are doing great but we are badly bleeding internally.
Is there any hope?
All this only shows how our Rhodes scholar-run Planning commission and the government is so divorced from the impulse of the common men.
Well researched Article,supplemented with Facts and Comparison.
The prespective of Migrants really seems to complicate the whole Food Security Bill Implementation and its Effectiveness. Even if we hope to target these issues through upcoming UID project, it would need meticulous planning and effective Implementation.
Another issue is Wages under MGNREGS. Compare to 2007 the Inflation is its at peak but we are still stuck at maximum wage of Rs 100 a day. Even if people choose not to migrate and take work in their local area under MGNREGS , the limited wage is not going to help their cause. Worst is Goverenment is not ready to put these wages under WPI/CPI citing the lack of budget.
The intent of Governement is right but at the time when it has already put stress on Exchequer with Supplemented grant of 60,000 crore , it will be too much to ask from Finance Ministry to allocate additional Budget to different schemes.
At best we can hope for Effective Implementation of Project already running and as Such We should see more Action from "Stastics and Program Implementation" misnitry.
The author deserves kudos for narrating real conditions of rural household. I had the experience of visiting my home in a rural area of Nagaur district of Rajasthan. Out of curiosity enquired about NREGS & PDS. I got to know that there was no grain or wheat flour distributed for last two months.
The NREGS is restricted. The PDS is targeted. Only exploitation is universal....These lines summing up the whole chaos in the PDS system is really an eye-opener for many of us. We thought that NREGS, UID Project and this new PDS scheme would serve us right,but only The Hindu and The Frontline gave us the real picture behind the scene.Wondering what next for the poor Indians!What a contrast with the ever-growing superpower image India is trying hard to project to the outside world!
Sainath as always has come up with a brilliant analysis... hats off to him... The UPA is talking about food security bill, but for that loopholes need to be plugged...
Thanks to The Hindu and P.Sainath for this article. It's really an eye opener and naked truth that people of India are facing. Rotting grain is the classic example of poor governance on the side of executives. It is sad that a nation with aspiration to be global-power can't feed her own citizens.
The story of Oliver Twist perfectly fits to describe the reality of poverty alleviation programme in India. The novel describes the sad story of an orphan boy, Oliver Twist, facing very harsh situations due to a new law. Thanks to P.Sainath for highlighting the reality of hungry poor Indians.
I want to know the opinion of Mr.P Sainath( or solution for it) on the root cause of the per capita food availability/lack of it, which in my opinion is the ever growing population & the lack of any serious action regarding this on governments part.
Some friends here have been wondering about alternative solutions. We need to look at the example of Kerala before the globalisation era when PDS reached the nook and corner of the state. Curbing our food subsidies under pressure from the World powers,who don't need to worry about the hunger of poor, was the biggest mistake, may I say.
Our economists are against any kind of subsidies, but I haven't heard any of this Economists raising their voice against the tax benefits offered to the big corporates. A country like India cannot get rid of its hunger without adequate food subsidies.
The fact that grain is allowed to rot rather than be given to our poor is indeed a travesty. I also agree that education, health (and therefore nutrition by association) have to be made universal. However the idea that all of this can be done at one time for a nation of over a billion people is simply ludicrous. The task at hand is a daunting one and has to be planned, funded and implemented meticulously
Well researched article, supplemented with facts and comparison.
The perspective of migrants really seems to complicate the whole Food Security Bill implementation and its effectiveness. Even if we hope to target these issues through upcoming UID project, it would need meticulous planning.
Another issue is wages under MGNREGS. Compared to 2007 the Inflation is its at peak but we are still stuck at maximum wage of Rs 100 a day. Even if people choose not to migrate and take work in their local area under MGNREGS , the limited wage is not going to help their cause.
Full credit goes to the writer for depicting the miserable plight of rural India in this article.First of all, myths have been created regarding the total number of people coming under this BPL category and secondly 35 kg at Rs 3 per kg is too low for any rural household in any part of India. It seems that the govt. is also not concerned about the health and well being of the poor people. Their apathy to include pulses and other nutritional food items in the list demonstrates this fact. Now it is up to the govt. whether they will move forward with their pro-capitalist policies only or try to ameliorate the conditions of the not so privileged class also.
Thank you very much Mr. Sainath for disclosing to us the 'real picture'. Strangely, even this government hasn't learnt its lessons from the 'India Shinning' debacle of 2004 of the NDA government. Reckless ignorance towards the needy and the poor continues...'Super Poor' India can never be 'Super Power' unless we remedy the basics...
Sainath's uncanny way of presenting the statistics stirs the conscience of any reader. The Oliver Twist approach to food security bringing in characters like Mr. Bumble and frightful Fagin makes the article exhilarating, if not amusing. Charles Dickens also wrote another novel, 'The Tale of Two Cities' in the opening chapter of which he unveils an absorbing account of the abysmal penury of the French citizenry, portenting, perhaps, a ruddy revolution. The present status of our country gravitates to such a situation. The current policies of the Union Government are purported to promote plutocracy.It is likely to land us in an explosive situation unless the trend is arrested and reversed.
More articles from Mr.Sainath are needed to open the eyes of the Bumbles and Fagins in our political parties.The government way of working is to confuse basic issues so that the people are fooled into thinking that the Government is trying to help them but instead is fooling them.Take fuel prices for example. We agree that oil companies should not lose money but why nobody is interested in reducing the exorbitant tax on fuel. Can we not increase the tax on the rich? Can Corporates not pay more taxes.The same applies to inflation figures. The Government is banking on the Base Effect to reduce inflation but unfortunately even that does not seem to work in this country. The Consumer Price Index is kept as a closely guarded secret by the Government and Media as it is the true dragon. We only come to know about it when the Government gives as much as 8% DA. Earlier when the Pay Commissions did not assign a formula people like Mr.Pranab Mukherjee juggled with figures to give a measly DA increase . Mr.Pannerselvam set things right by saying that 'if you give only peanuts you will only get monkeys'
To sum up, more articles by Mr.Sainath will make the readers happy though the Bumbles and Fagins will not be least bothered.
As the article says there is no enough food supply for poor people.Even though government is implementing many schemes and subsidies like NREGS and 2/- per kg rice, it should be more concerned how many are really availing these so called subsidies and schemes.
This is obviously a wake-up call. The India as we know it is slowly drifting towards chaos, be it politically or culturally. Let us stop thinking from other nation's point of view and start thinking for once, from a really selfish motive, a motive that our country should become powerful enough to make the citizens happy.
I'm a Muslim and for obvious reasons have detested the BJP. But all these years of Congress rule have made me realise how the Congress is much more dangerous than the BJP. Nepotism, misplaced priorities, fake secularism and general stupidity are hallmarks of Congress. Look at the entire 'national prestige' tag to the commonwealth games. Anyone who opposes the unjust spending or corruption is termed anti-national.
The article is well documented with support of statistical data but to start with, a system should take step by step approach.
We should encourage the legislation and work towards proper implementation of the same. And let the future govt to complete rest of the task.
Food security is a topic which needs to be intensely debated and deliberated by the media as it is concerned with the 3/4 of the Indian population who do not have enough to feed their hungry stomachs every day,leave aside nutritional security.It is highly unfortunate that except The HINDU no other print or electronic media has given importance to these burning issues. So may it be the NREGS,or RTE or now the food security bill the central government only pretends to be pro poor. Instead it is more involved in appeasing the Indian capitalist.
The tragedy of this nation today is that the ones who are currently at the helm of UPA-II and the Planning Commission are far divorced from the pulses of the masses.
While Sainath's commitment to the poor cannot be questioned - there is a strange twist in calling for higher support prices and more government procurement - when the government cannot even take care of its existing stock, which was the problem Sainath started the article with. Why not let farmers sell their own grains to whom they please at the prices they please. Why not universalize private grain markets (with government participating if it wants to) - I remember even Shri Sharad Joshi (who writes for Hindu Business Line)supporting that some time back
What is the worst that can happen if the govt. releases half the stock in the FCI godowns and brings down prices across the board? How much is the govt. going to lose financially when compared with implementing PDS?
What prevents India's Executive machinery to carry out tasks that are required of them? They have been having the cake (of elite training, postings, status) and eating it too (blaming the Legislative for the ills that plague most ministries and departments). What are the district level IAS personnel doing? Much of local governance can perform if their hands are clean and purposeful.
"The NREGS is restricted. The PDS is targeted. Only exploitation is universal." - Shot on the bull's eye.
It shows clearly the lack of political will to take the bull by its horn. Well, while the article clearly illustrates the problems with food and nutritional security which most of us know, it does not seem to offer even a single solution which every one are striving to achieve.
It is,no doubt, desirable to have Universal PDS. Quantify the food grains and pulses required.Arrive at the gap.Suggest how to improve production and plug loopholes in PDS. Then campaign for GROW MORE FOOD and curb corruption in PDS. Then you are giving really useful advice.
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