Politics Of Food Security Law- Prof R R Pillai
Food security for the poor is a must in a country like India where a large number suffer for poor income level. But to introduce a law in a tearing hurry to gain political advantage than serving the cause of the deprived is nothing short of criminal abuse of political power. Given the siphoning culture of Indians in the social sector spending the Congress led government should have first ensured that the leak proof delivery mechanism is in place before this subsidized food grains scheme is implemented.
Why only 70% of population to be covered. This selective way of implementation of any social welfare schemes gives the Congress in power to use the exchequers resources in a way it deems fit with an eye always to increase the number of winners of Congress Candidates from selected districts. In MGNREGA it happened and it will happen again if this LAW is allowed to become effective in the present form.
The Congress should have waited for some more time if it meant to implement an efficient Food Grain distribution in all the districts of the country to serve the poor. The Aadhar- UID is already under way. Why not wait till this project is completed in all the districts of India at least as far as the identification of the poor and the marginal is accomplished in toto. Will that not ensure targeted distribution without leakage to a very large extant. UID is already under way at a huge cost to the exchequer. Why add another leaky system and deteriorate the fiscal halth.
But one can easily make out the play of politics in the name of poor. The Congress is a shinking ship with all and sundry massive forms of corruption and scams. Allies are deserting. Coalition management is at its worst for Congress. And the Think Tank in the Congress is burning all its bridges to anchor the sinking ship through this so called game changer Food Security scheme. At whose cost.?Of course the productive sector will have to pay as every time. Fiscal health is already under strain. Interest rates and inflation are gnawing at all ends. Accounting jugglers will fool for sometime to be in power. But real economy will stagnate while politicians will keep inspiring us through Hope Begets Courage lectures. The time has come to not to allow these politically intended legislation to be implemented through leaky taps all along.
Whats the remedy ? Of course for the opposition it will not be easy to oppose the Law meant to serve the poor and at the same time expect to get their votes in the ensuing election. By the sheer majority of numbers the Congress will get through the Bill. But at Implementing stage citizens can go the court via a PIL and argue of the possible inefficincy throgh leakages citing precendes in the absense of effective delivery machanism in place.
Since it is being implemented for the beneifit of only a select number of the poor and not all the eligible in all the districts it can be grounded on the basis of voilative discrimination. There is presently no starvation deaths in country on a large scale. Hence ,why such a scheme having a large scale financial and social ramifications be allowed to go through in a hurry just before elections. The intentions of the party in power are not difficult to be made out by the discerning.
If the Congress thinks it can fool the people through number game the time has come for enlightened citizens to teach a lesson, so that no other party too ,can ever attempt such abuse of polical power through vested Law on the strenght of sheer numbers in Parliament. Law should serve the ends of just society. Not just confer an ad hoc benefit to serve politics of vested interests.
It would be too much to expect a SUO MOTO action by Supreme Court in these days of judicial over arching argument by the politicians at the drop of the hat. Let’s use the instrument of PIL to really serve the cause of the poor as well the non poor without whose taxes the government of the day can’t move an inch forward. Is the demand for efficiency in the use of taxes paid too much in our democracy where the gross inequalty is staring and corruption is crippling every honest move.
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