INDIA’S NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY BILL AND ITS PATH FORWARD!
Farmer with Vegetables in Malda, West Bengal: Source: Flickr: Divya Pandey/IFPRI
India’s recently introduced National Food Security Bill (NFSB)—a flagship program that will provide long term sustainable food and nutritional security for the poor—was passed in the Lower house of the Parliament, Lok Sabha this week. Intending the bill to help about 67 percent of India's 1.2 billion people—75 percent will be rural beneficiaries and 50 percent urban beneficiaries—the government is still identifying poor for inclusion in this large program, pregnant women, and lactating mothers who live in remote areas. IFPRI Director in South Asia Dr P K Joshi, has analysed the NFSB in a number of recent articles (listed below) using parameters like:
(1) identification of beneficiaries
(2) huge subsidy burden that would arise at the cost of investment
(3) sustainability of the program due to leakages and corruption in the system
Recent articles written by Dr. Joshi:
- Q&A: Pros and Cons of The Food Security Bill
- High subsidy, PDS hurdles to food security plan: IFPRI
- National Food Security Bill and need for a stronger implementation strategy
Related material: IFPRI’s Food Security Portal’s recent blog post Will India's National Food Security Bill Help or Hurt?
