FOOD GRAIN WASTAGE AND THE SUPREME COURT-WILL THERE BE ACTION BY NDA GOVERNMENT?

True, a new government has taken over the reins in the country raising hopes of millions of Indians that better days are ahead in contrast to the policy paralysis prevalent earlier. But whether their hopes will fructify remains to be seen as bureaucrats still rule the roost and moving them to implement top policy decisions is still a big task. Food Corporation of India is a classical example about the bureaucratic grid lock that characterizes government programs, many of them well intended but not implemented properly. Looking back FCI and GOI were damned by the Supreme Court of India some time back for wasting precious food grains because of negligence and callousness in creating sound storage structures required to safe guard food grains for long duration. Here is a flash back on this issue and it is pitiable that nothing much has changed as far as this problem of wastage is concerned.  

"The court commissioners dubbed negligence by officials as `genocidal' and recommended responsibility and accountability be fixed at the highest level in Central and state governments. The commissioners have warned that this is just a third of the 1.37 lakh MT of wheat lying in the open since 2008-09 in Punjab, and the entire lot could have become unfit for consumption as Food Corporation of India (FCI) norms allow grains to be exposed to nature for only a year. In Haryana, too, 31,574 MT of grains have been lying in the open since 2008-09. Another 27.38 lakh MT of grain are lying in Punjab. While 18.90 MT of grains are wrapped in polythene, and gathering dust for the past two years. The commissioners report that "a significant quantity of these food grains are likely to go waste if urgent measures are not taken by the Government of India to release these stocks to poor immediately." The Supreme Court commissioners' statement comes in stark contrast to that of Pawar, who had earlier said in Parliament only 11,700 MT of grains worth Rs 6.86 crore had become unfit for consumption and reports of rotting grains were blown out of proportion. When contacted principle adviser to court commissioners, Biraj Patnaik, refused to comment, stating the issue is sub-judice. A counter affidavit filed by the government to this report quietly skirts the issue of rotting grains completely. Instead it talks of long-term arrangements to increase space for storage. The apex court, in its earlier hearing, had asked why grains should not be distributed to the poor instead of being allowed to rot in the open. The government claimed it cannot increase allocation of grains to the state under the PDS as it is not able take ad-hoc decisions while the new criteria is being developed by the government."

One of the redeeming pictures emerging now with the new government setting new standards of governance, FCI stored food grains are released into the open market in a controlled way which has resulted in reduction of prices in the case of some food grains, especially rice and wheat. Nothing much has been heard about the extent of rotten grains still with the FCI though the Court wanted this to be distributed to the poor. What is not realized is that these grains in all likelihood might be inedible even for animals because of severe infestation and contamination. It is time that government takes a serious view regarding this issue, sets in motion a review of acquirement policy and make the FCI accountable to the Nation. Recent direction to states not to increase Minimum Support price being offered to mop up surplus grains from the farmers may be a good move to divert these grains into open market and avoid long term storage for which adequate storage capacity is still not available. Also interesting is the announcement by the new government to restructure and recast the FCI to make them more efficient and accountable, though it remains to be seen whether such statements get translated into reality.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

ROTTING GRAINS, SUPREME COURT AND THE PARLIAMENT-A "NO-WIN" SITUATION

It it not a shame for a democratic country like India to be "directed" by the highest judicial body to save the millions of tons of grains under its custody, to be distributed free of cost to poor people? Adding to the ignominy of such a situation is the prevarication of the food minister in interpreting the court order as a suggestion rather than a judicial directive and got a rap on his knuckle from very same court for misinterpreting its order. It is unfortunate that the GOI was found shirking its responsibility of ensuring food security in the country. A serious question that deserves an assertive answer is whether the claim regarding the spoilage of food grains to the extent mentioned in the court is really true. Does the GOI, with its vast "babudom' for verifying the actual situation on the ground, concur with the court's observation? Why should the country need a minister for food if courts have to do the job? Looking at the commotion that prevailed in the Parliament after the court pronouncement, a honest and proud citizen of the country cannot but hang his head in shame for the behavior of the elected representatives of this democratic institution.

"The issue of rotting food grains and the Supreme Court order directing the government to distribute them among the hungry today led to uproar in the Lok Sabha prompting two adjournments. Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj raised the issue hours after the Supreme Court took exception to Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's statement that its directive on free distribution of food grains to the poor instead of allowing them to rot in godowns was a suggestion which could not be implemented. Ms. Swaraj made the statement in the midst of a discussion on the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2010, prompting an impromptu debate on the matter and demands for presence of Mr. Pawar in the House. Mr. Pawar, who later came to the House, said government would honour the decision of the Supreme Court, a copy of which has not reached him. Amid opposition uproar over rotting food grains, she raised the issue after a calling attention motion moved by Harsimrat Kaur(Akali Dal) over rejection of 40 lakh tonnes of rice variety PAU-201 by the Food Safety Standards Authority. Ms. Kaur's calling attention earlier had generated heat in the House with Akali Dal members twice trooping into the Well dissatisfied over Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's reply that a report of the expert committee, including those from the National Institute of Nutrition, on PAU-201 rice variety is likely to be submitted by the second week of September. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India has rejected it citing provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Ms. Kaur made a strong plea to allow the 40 lakh tonnes rice to be distributed for human consumption contending that the analysis reports of 75 samples reveal that only nine of them were not found to be conforming to the standards of rice as prescribed under the PFA rules, a stand accepted by Azad".

How can a honorable member question the decision of the safety authorities that food grains tested by its officials were not conforming to the standards set by the parliament under the PFA Act of 1956? Who will take the responsibility if freely distributed grains affect the health of the recipients adversely? It would have been better if the appellate authorities were asked to recheck the quality on an emergency basis and go by its decision. Probably there could be marginal deficiency like increased moisture or higher refractions or some minor short comings which can be rectified easily. Even constituting an expert committee cannot justify by-passing the existing regulations. But short circuiting the established safety regulations for even temporary advantage is fraught with serious consequences for the credibility of the system in the long run. Ever since the issue was pitchforked into national and international attention, various players in this drama did not acquit themselves creditably. A sorry situation indeed!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com