Rice at fair price: Ensuring food security
The decision to distribute rice at a fair price is a first step towards the attainment of the goal of ensuring food security at all levels in the country
PRANAB KUMAR PANDAY
Among the basic needs of the citizens, food stands at the top of the list and its importance to healthy and active life of mankind is unquestionable. Crossing the boundary of economic problem the issue of food security has a social and political significance as food insecurity could create political instability in the country. Apart from economic, social and political significance, food security has become an important factor as it has the potential of influencing the development of human capital as well as the overall development of the society. Thus, the people of Bangladesh have been given constitutional right to have adequate and safe food. Being guided by the Constitution, the Government of Bangladesh has been playing an instrumental role in the progressive realization of the right to food.
One of the major challenges that the government of Bangladesh is confronted with today, is to ensure food security for all. Although the government has attained tremendous success in increasing the production of food grains, they have yet to ensure food security at national, household and individual levels. The increasing amount of domestic food production has helped the government in minimizing the constraints of insufficient national food availability. Adequate food availability does not automatically ensure national food security. In order to attain the goal of ensuring food security for all, a major attempt is required to be taken by the government aiming at enhancing access to food and subsequent utilization of food by the poor and distressed households.
Like other countries of the World, different types of social safety net programs are being implemented by the Government with an intention to support the peoples need for food. Through these programs, the government has attained remarkable progress in social and economic development which has been recognized by the World Bank. According to World Bank, the percentage of extreme poor in Bangladesh is 12.9% which was more than 18% when the present AL government took over the state power in 2009.
In addition to different social safety net programs, the government has recently initiated a program to distribute rice at TK 10 a kg among 5m ultra-poor families. This is a very courageous decision on the part of the government. Now a pertinent question is: what is the significance of this decision of the AL government? To be honest, I was really surprised when I first heard about the decision. I was amazed thinking that whether it would be possible to implement such a decision at a time when the selling price of per kg coarse rice is TK 36 and fine rice is TK 46 in the market. From this perspective, it is a notable decision on the part of the government. Newspaper sources said that TK 1,300 cr. has been allocated by the Finance Ministry to the Food Ministry as subsidy in this fiscal year for providing food grain for low prices.
It is true that the number of target group (5m) under this program is very small as compared to the total population of the country. However, we should not consider the merit of this decision in terms of numerical numbers only. This decision of the government has strong social and political significance. From the societal perspective, this decision would be able to ensure food security of at least 5 million poor people who might have to pass their days in starvation had they been compelled to buy rice at a price of TK 35 to 40 per kg. From a political perspective, the decision indicates the level of maturity and commitment of our Prime Minister who always thinks of the welfare of the people of the country. Moreover, the decision is a first step of attaining one of the commitments of the Awami Leagues election manifesto which was related to ensuring food security for all.
As an ordinary citizen, I really appreciate the motive of the present AL government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina as it a reflection of their commitment towards betterment of the people in the society. Al least they have shown their courage to make something happen which is almost impossible in present days context.
It is very difficult to find any decision without criticism. From this perspective, someone may criticize the government on the ground of an insignificant number of the target population. Despite having criticism, I want to concentrate on the inclination of the government to support the poor people of the country. At the same time, I would request the government to remain vigilant on the process of the implementation of the program. By now, we have already noticed some degree of irregularities in the implementation process. In most cases, manipulation has been committed by the local political leaders of AL. Our last hope rests with the PM who has expressed her strong commitment to make sure that she would not tolerate any sort of irregularities in the distribution process.
To conclude, the governments decision to distribute price at a fair price is a first step towards the attainment of the goal of ensuring food security at all levels in the country. It is expected that the coverage would be extended in the course of time. If the government could continue this program for 4/5 years, the days is not very far when we would be able to claim with pride that we have been able to ensure food security for all.
The writer is Professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
