Food and Consumer Affairs Minister, Prof. K.V. Thomas in an interview to AIR said that the government may have to provide a food subsidy of one lakh crore rupees after the Food Security Bill becomes a law. “At present, it is providing a food subsidy of eighty-two thousand crores”.
He expressed hope that the food inflation will come down in view of their record production. Prof. Thomas said that the hike in petroleum prices will also have its impact on essential commodities. The Minister asserted that a mechanism needs to be developed to provide reasonable price to farmers and affordable price to consumers.
Prof. Thomas said that a campaign is being launched to make farmers aware of the post-harvest operations. This,he said, is important for stopping the wastage.
The draft bill entitles 75 percent of the population to highly subsidised food grains. It provides for people living Below Poverty Line getting rice at three rupees a kilogram and wheat at two rupees a kilogram. The Bill proposes that general households will have the right to 20 kilograms of rice. But the price should not exceed 50 per cent of minimum support price paid to farmers.
