Our Demand: Food Security For All

Our Demand: Food Security For All

The United Progressive Alliance Government plans to enact a National Food Security Act which would entitle each BPL household to a monthly ration of 25 kgs of foodgrains at Rs. 3/kg. The Right to Food Campaign demands a much broader based Right to Food Act (RTF Act). It demands an Act that deals with at least some of the causes of hunger and provides each and every resident of this country with food entitlements. The government must ensure that no man, woman or child sleeps hungry or is malnourished.

Our Demands

1. Enact a National Food Security Act Immediately
The drought should not be used as an excuse to delay the enactment of the Right to Food Act.

2. No Dilution of Supreme Court Orders
The Right to Food Act must ensure that, at the minimum, legal entitlement and other enabling orders issued by the Supreme Court on the Right to Food are not diluted in any way by the Act.

3. Special Protection for Excluded and Vulnerable Groups and in Disasters
Special protection to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, female-headed or child-headed households, destitute people, primitive and de-notified tribes, urban destitute, etc.
Antodaya cards which entitle them to PDS items at half the prices of the general population
Additional entitlements such as access to cooked meals, admission for children to residential schools, double quota of all entitlements, 1 quintal of free food grains etc for them
Special food security policies for migrant workers and urban destitute
Special measures in all emergencies (including starvation and chronic hunger) and natural and man-made disasters.

4. Universalize the Public Distribution System
Every resident of this country must be covered by the PDS
Each adult must be entitled to 14 kgs of cereals per month, along with 1.5 kg of pulses and 800 gms of cooking oil.
Cereals must include nutritious millets
Cereals must be priced at Rs. 2/kg, pulses at Rs. 20/kg and cooking oil at Rs 35/kg

5. Follow a Food First Policy
The first call on all natural resources, including land and water, must be for food.
Fix remunerative prices for food items so that farmers find it viable to produce food.
Eliminate the entry of corporate interests and private contractors in food production, the food market and nutrition-related schemes.
Ensure that procurement, storage and distribution of food items is decentralized.
Ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all.

6. Put in Place an Effective Grievance Redressal System
Fines and penalties for wrong-doers and compensation for the wronged
Strong in-built transparency mechanisms, and mandatory social audits
Accountability must be fixed at all levels

7. Affirmative action towards people who are socially discriminated
All ration cards must be issued in the name of women
At least 50\% of jobs for cooks and helpers must be for Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims
Priority to Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim hamlets in the location of aganwadis and ration shops

8. Immediate Action on hunger, drought and violations

a) Every adult should get employment as per famine code. NREGA works should be implemented in drought stricken regions as per famine code norms. After the commencement of NREGA, public works need to be converged with NREGA, rather than creating a separate machinery and set of rules for relief works.
Immediate supply of food, water and fodder to alleviate hunger and suffering in the 278 drought and cyclone affected districts
Mid-Day Meals to all out of school children and MDM should continue during vacations
Ensure full coverage under Antyodaya of all primitive tribal groups, disabled, aged, and other vulnerable groups. Raise PDS entitlements by 50\%
Government must immediately redress of complaints of violation of Right to Food orders and NREGA.

Food Entitlements

Children aged 0-6 months: Support (to their mothers) for exclusive breastfeeding through assistance at birth, breastfeeding counselling, maternity entitlements and crиche facilities at the work place.

Children aged 6 months-3 years: Nutritious take-home rations based on local foods, delivered every week through the local Anganwadi.

Children 3-6 years: Nutritious cooked meal and food supplements to be made available at the local Anganwadi.

Children aged 6-14 years: Nutritious cooked midday meal provided in all government schools up to Class [8].

Pregnant and nursing women: Nutritious take-home rations based on local foods, provided through the local anganwadi; basic maternal health services.

All households: Universal PDS with 14 kgs of foodgrain per month at Rs 2/kg per adult, 1.5 kg dal and 500 gms cooking oil through the PDS.

Antyodaya households: Double the PDS quotas at half the PDS prices.