Food Security Bill 2013- Passed!! Now the implementation and the effects on the budget.

From the much hyped food security bill 2013, from the altogether hype of it being congress’s survival for the election, everything passed, but now what about the implementation. The problem was and still is the implementation of the bill. Though having its huge burden on fiscal deficit, will that deficit be useful to the people to which it really matters.
The National food security bill will make food a legal right guaranteeing 5kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per individual at a fixed price of Rs. 3, 2, 1 respectively to nearly 67% of the population which could widen India’s already futile budget deficit. 67% population means around 85crore and the bill will have a cost of 1.35% on the nation’s GDP, as claimed by the previous government, which is quite small as what is predicted of 3%. In the present day context, with the new government, where hardly 11 states have started the scheme, while others are being reluctant as failing to see any beneficiaries of the scheme, the fiscal deficit is as per targeted, all due the food subsidy being projected lower than 1.15 lakh crore.

This could well be an indication of what could be the further effects when started country-wide. But what is of real concern is that of the implementation of it, will the food reach to one who is actually in need?, will the causation of the hole in the budget go to those intended with the on-going corruption on hand? Of course the corruption issue is of a latter phase problem, if the bill succeeds to improvise the nourishment of the poor, even if half of them get benefitted, even at a more huge cost to the government, it could be termed successful as malnutrition and starvation in India is a major problem which has resulted from poor supply chain and acute poverty.

A nation cannot advance if it is stuck at a very low HDI, a well fed 85crore will help lessen the premature child death due to malnutrition and improve our life expectancy. And also a well fed nation educates, train and thus grows better. But still, the bill without impeding the corruption and leakages will have no effect in any way. The leakages from the Public distribution system and the corruption through bureaucracy adds further to the budget deficit problem, without having any real effect.
Bills have been passed earlier too, but to be really effective we need proper implementation and not huge promises.

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