Food Security Bill: The National Food Security Bill, 2013 passed by the parliament on Sept2013, gives right

to subsidised food grain to 67 percent of India's 1.2 billion people and provides for penalty for non-compliance by public servants. The bill's salient features include: - Seventy five percent of rural and 50 percent of the urban population entitled to five kg foodgrains per month at Rs 3, Rs 2, Re 1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains, respectively. The work of identification of eligible households has been left to the states. - Pregnant women and lactating mothers entitled to nutritious meals and maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000 for six months. - The central government will provide funds to states in case of short supply of foodgrain. In Favor : 'Right to food' will become a legal right. This bill helps to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in the country. Inflation is on the rise, this is the time poor people need food security. It helps to empower women, as the eldest woman will be the head of the family. Nutritious food will be given to pregnant and lactating mothers. This will lead to healthier families. In Against : These food grains will be distributed through the already existing PDS (Public Distribution System). This PDS has many loopholes such as leakages of food grains, corruption etc. The exact no. of poor is not calculated correctly. Different departments are giving different numbers. And the criteria for measuring poor people percentage is not upto the mark. The cost of this bill Rs.1.24 lakh crore will be a burden for the government, and may lead to fiscal deficit. As most of the food grains will be procured by Govt, exports will reduced, which is a big threat to the economy. Farmers have to sell their food grains for procurement prices rather than market prices. It will be loss for farmers. It's better if govt provide them employment rather than providing food. Small farmers may shift to other crops, as they will get the subsidized food grains. This will reduce the production of food grains. Conclusion :Food Security Bill is a boon, because it guarantees food, which is a basic need. But the PDS system must be strengthened to avoid corruption and leakages. And procurement price must be increased. Farmers must be protected. If this bill is implemented effectively, it will definitely helps to eradicate hunger and malnutrition.