[Marxistindia] PB statement on move to amend and dilute FSA

[news from the cpi(m)]

January 23, 2015

Press Statement

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the
following statement:

 

The Shanta Kumar Committee report, which was self-confessedly prepared under
the guidance of the PMO, is a blueprint to destroy India's public
distribution, procurement and storage systems and to hand it over to market
forces. The CPI(M) strongly opposes these recommendations which will
eliminate whatever little has been achieved in addressing the continuing
problem of undernourishment and malnutrition among India's population. It
will badly hit India's farmers and also affect the interests of food deficit
States.

 

Under pressure the UPA Government was forced to bring the Food Security Act
(FSA) which though highly inadequate covered 67 per cent of the population.
The Shanta Kumar Committee wants to slash this down to 40 per cent. This
will make crores of people food insecure by bringing down the amount of
foodgrain to be distributed from over 60 million tonnes to below 40 million
tonnes.

 

The PDS price of even this reduced amount which according to the FSA is to
be three rupees for a kilo rice and two rupees for a kilo of wheat is to be
raised to 50 per cent of the MSP which means that BPL sections will be
deprived of lower prices and will have to pay more than double the amount.

 

In addition   this will mean that Government will cut down on procurement
throwing farmers into distress and at the mercy of big private agro-business
companies and their middle men.

 

When it is known that the rise in foodgrain prices is linked to hoarding and
speculation, to destroy the FCI and hand it over to private companies will
be disastrous.

 

The CPI(M) will oppose all moves to amend and dilute the FSA on the basis of
these retrograde amendments. It will mobilise the people and continue its
struggle for a universal public distribution system and against targeting
based on fraudulent estimates of BPL and APL.

 

 

 
Central Committee
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
A.K. Gopalan Bhawan
27-29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, Gole Market
New Delhi 110 001
 
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