Increasing foodgrain prices will be a big blow to country’s food security  which is already strained

Food security has been a major challenge as we have a sizable population that earns its living on daily basis and do not have the reserve to buy food in advance. According to the UN, there are nearly 195 million undernourished people in India, which is a quarter of the world's total. Also, roughly 43% of children in India are chronically undernourished. India has constantly moved down various indexes dealing with food security, well-being, and human development at an alarming rate. It slipped to the 101st position out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2021 from its 2020 position of 94. All that ministry of Women and Child Development Ministry did about it was to raise ''methodological issues" and claim that the FAO's methodology was unscientific. The 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published by UN agencies in 2022, estimated that a whopping 40 per cent of people in India suffered from food insecurity in 2019-2021which puts India into the category of countries with severely food-insecure populations. India ranked 71 out of 113 major countries in terms of the food security index 2020.

In this scenario, the government is said to be considering an increase in the prices of rice, wheat, and cereals sold through the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by `.7 per kg for Priority Households. Moreover, NITI Aayog has even recommended that the price for sale to the poorest of the poor through Antyodaya Anna Yojana be increased by ? 1 per kg. The Ministry is reportedly brought it to consideration by the Union Cabinet. Should the cabinet approve it, it would be a big blow to the food security in the country which is already under severe stress due to the rise in inflation. This would also negate the National Food Security Act, 2013 or right to food act as it is popularly called which sought to provide

subsidized food grains to two third of the Indian population. It is time to strengthen the right to food security rather than diluting it. The central government must help states who are doing their bit to provide food security. Karnataka launched the 'Indira Canteen', which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a very low price. Tamil Nadu has an 'Amma' canteen. But the situation in Bihar, UP, and Orissa remains grim.

Now is the time to do it on the pan India level so that no one goes to bed with a hungry stomach.