Availability of food grain failed dramatically in India: Sainath

BHUBANESWAR: “Every year of economic reform, availability of food grain failed and failed dramatically in India,” said Ramon Magsaysay awarded journalist P Sainath in a discussion on ‘Food and Livelihood Security and Government Policies’ organised by an Odia fortnightly Janatantra and Gram Swaraj Sammukhya here on Sunday.

Sainath said the Government failed to increase food production in the country. The food production rate of the country was 6.3 per cent after the independence and the population growth rate was 2.3 per cent, but during the decade of 1991-2001, the food production rate was 1 per cent against 1.8 per cent population growth rate. During the decade of 2001-10, the difference between the food production rate and population growth rate has been increased, he added.

Criticising the Government policy, Sainath said that three committees Arjun Sen Gupta Committee, NC Saxena Committee and Suresh Tendulkar Committee were formed to estimate status of the people living below poverty line (BPL) in the country, but they could not give a clear picture about it.

He criticised deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who has spent 274 days in abroad excluding travel days and whose expenditure was Rs 2.05 lakh per day excluding Indian embassies’ expenditure on him. A person who spends life in luxury hotels and spends a huge amount of money per day, that person says the poor Indians to live with Rs 22 per day for rural poor people and Rs 28 per day for urban poor people, which is ridiculous, he added.

Sainath said the Government should introduce millets, jawar and raggi in the recent food grain list in its future plan to provide food grains in the MGNREGA programme. He also suggested the Government should provide clothes to the labourer’s family in MGNREGA programme which will promote not only the Government textile industries but also the poor people will get clothes in subsidised way, he added.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is talking about austerity measure, where Ahluwalia is living in luxury hotel and spending huge amount of money per day,” said Sainath adding, “In the history of India, we have never been ruled by so disgusting, greedy and insensitive people.”

Expressing grave concern over illegal mining in Odisha, he said the State is rich in mineral resources, but very poor in food production. Though, Odisha, Chattishgarh and Jharkhand have more than two-third mineral resources of the country, the people of the States are living in acute poverty, he added.

Sainath said the world is running out of water resources, which is the biggest problem. Corporate companies are interested to set up industries in Odisha due to its rich water resources, he added. “If you don’t have water security, your food security will be hampered,” said Sainath.