Patna,(BiharTimes): Noted economist and author, Jean Dreze, said on Thursday that Bihar could gain immensely from National Food Security Bill 2013 as the state is afflicted with hunger, poverty and social inequality in an intensive form. Thus the state would be entitled to higher allocation of foodgrains for the poor.
Delivering the valedictory speech at the two-day national seminar on Food Security Bill 2013 and its Implications on Backward States, at A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies (ANSISS) on Thursday he called Bihar the hunger capital of the country and added that there is need to de-escalate the political climate surrounding the Bill.
Quoting the figures from National Sample Survey Organization (2009-10) he said Bihar ranked 74th (alarming zone) in global hunger index of 88 countries. Eighty-seven per cent rural and 61 per cent urban population in Bihar had calorie deficiency.
Dreze said Bihar has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world. The living condition of people in some of the villages is more horrifying than most places in the world.
In fact, in terms of scheme implementation, the state is the capital of corruption and exploitation in the world, he added.
Dreze, who co-authored several books with Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, said as Bihar is sitting on the hotbed of poverty, hunger and malnutrition it could potentially be the biggest beneficiary of National Food Security Bill (NFSB), 2013. NFSB is not just about five kilo of foodgrains. It would give a new footing to the entire public distribution system (PDS) if it has a broad coverage and clear entitlements.
Speaking at a technical sessions, Institute director D M Diwakar said that in-kind entitlements are better than cash entitlements as it had little chances of embezzlement. Nutritional security would be guaranteed in long term, only if the government improves livelihood opportunities, he added.
He said Bihar would require 51.36 lakh tonne of foodgrains per year to implement the NFSB.
Former Chhattisgarh governor, D N Sahaya, who is presently chairman of ANSISS, called NFSB a path-breaking poor-centric scheme.
Disaster management department's principal secretary Vyasji Mishra said the paradox with Bihar is that flood and drought exist simultaneously and foodgrains need to be constantly diverted for relief work.
Food and consumer protection department principal secretary Shishir Kumar Sinha said the government was giving new PDS licences to self-help groups only.
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