The Indian government will soon introduce the National Food Security Bill in the Parliament. The Bill will probably become an Act without difficulty as the United Progressive Alliance government has a majority in the Parliament and the principal opposition party; the Bhartiya Janata Party is also extending support to the government on the bill. However, if the National Food Security Bill in its present form becomes an Act, it is unlikely to tackle chronic hunger and acute malnutrition in the country. 

India ranks 66th out of 88 developing countries on the Global Hunger Index. Even countries which register low growth rates are ahead of India. Every year, around 2.5 million people in India die of hunger. Almost, 56% women of maternal age are malnourished. As a result, they give birth to malnourished children, perpetuating the cycle. In India, 57% of children below the age of 3, are severely or moderately stunted and under-weight. In addition, rising food prices are threatening the survival of poor people. Thus, there is an urgent need for government intervention in addressing the situation. It is in this context that the government is enacting the National Food Security Bill or the Right to Food.  

Conceptually, ‘Right to Food’ has noble intentions as it provides poor people the right to adequate food and the right to live free from hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The UN Millennium Development Goals also stress on eradicating extreme hunger. Under this Act, all below the poverty line (BPL) households will be entitled to 25 kg rice or wheat at the rate of Rs.3 per kg.  

The Bill, however, is facing wide spread criticism from civil society organizations because it is marred by several deficiencies. The government has proposed the bill without resolving the twin questions of: who exactly is considered poor and what are the constituents of a nutritious diet? Furthermore, there has not been a sincere effort to include ways of overhauling and improving the public distribution system. All food security related measures depend upon an effective distribution system for their success. 

 The Bill in its present form has limited positive implications for the future. There are several food security measures in the country such as Antodaya Anna Yojna Program, Mid-day Meal scheme, Ration Cards etc which have failed to tackle the problem as hunger and malnourishment continue unabated. Right to Food is yet another food security measure which relies heavily on the weak public distribution system and therefore, its success in the future is doubtful. 

Under the Antodaya Anna Yojna Program, the government provided 35 kg of rice or wheat at Rs.3 per kg rice and Rs.2 per kg wheat. The National Food Security Bill provides 25 Kg rice or wheat at Rs.3 per kg. This clearly implies that in the future, the poor will pay more for less food grains. 

Moreover, providing rice or wheat is insufficient to tackle malnourishment. By excluding essential food items like pulses, oil, sugar, the government has severely limited the scope of the Bill in countering acute malnourishment in the country. In addition, the public distribution system supplies inferior quality of food grains which has a negative impact on the health of the people. 

The National Food Security Bill must be comprehensive and should incorporate supply of essential food items of good quality, means to improve the distribution system, investment in agriculture and rural development and healthcare. It must also concentrate on ‘food security’ in the country in terms of ensuring adequate agricultural production and better facilities for farmers. The present draft of the Bill ignores the fact that enhanced healthcare for women of maternal age has the potential to counter malnourishment among infants. 

India has the largest number of hungry people in the world which means that food security measures are urgently needed. A well-drafted comprehensive National Food Security Bill combined with an efficient public distribution system has the potential of acting as a catalyst for eradicating hunger and malnutrition in the future. It also requires the government to have the commitment and the will to rise above politics of fulfilling electoral promises and focus on carrying out its responsibilities to the people.