No matter how badly the economy is doing, India has enough food to ensure that no one will grow hungry doing lockdown. It is not about resources, it is all about intent.
Food Corporation of India (FCI) should have stock of 21 million tonnes of food grains. Currently, FCI holds 55.5 million tonnes – over two-and-half times more than mandated.
As on March 1, the FCI had 30.97 mt of rice and 27.52 mt of wheat, totalling 58.49 mt. The FCI also has unmilled paddy stock of 28.70 mt.
The govt systematically went after the NGO sector during the last 6 years, cancelling FCRAs, not giving new ones and hounding many others. In lockdown, it is the NGOs who have fed more people than the govt. Worst state being Gujarat.
What the govt could do is provide them grains and enable NGOs to run kitchens on the mid-day meal scheme format. However, govt decided to sell grains to NGOs via FCI – Price of Rice is Rs. 22 & Wheat Rs 21 +1.05% APC tax. This is MSP price, govt sells to businesses at lower rates.
The scheme also stipulates that a minimum of 1 metric tonne (1000 kg’s) needs to be lifted at one time. Now, how many NGOs can do that? Monsoons are coming. In 2016-2017 alone, more than 8,600 tonnes of food grain was lost.
But govt will neither give it out or make it easy!
Almost 62,000 tonnes of food grain was damaged in FCI warehouses between 2011 and 2017. Enough to feed every migrant for months. But our govt will rather waste than give it away. And, that is the reason why India’s hunger crisis wont go away. The govt has no intent.
