Ram Vilas Paswan is currently the Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution. An eight-time lok Sabha member and a former Rajya Sabha member, Paswan is now the president of the lok Janshakti Party. He started his political career as a member of Samyukta Socialist Party and was elected to the Bihar legislative Assembly in 1969. later, he joined the lok Dal upon its formation in 1974 and became its general secretary. He opposed the iron curtains imposed by Indira Gandhi and was arrested in 1975 and languished behind the prison till the Emergency era ended. He entered the lok Sabha in 1977 as a Janata Party member from the Hajipur constituency and was chosen again in 1980, 1984, 1989, 1996 and 1998.
In 2000, he formed the lok Janshakti Party (lJP). Subsequently, he joined the ruling United Progressive Alliance Government and was Union Minister Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel Minister. He won the 2004 lok Sabha elections.
In 1977, Paswan had been elected to the lok Sabha obtaining the highest number of votes by creating a world record. Paswan was Union Minister of labour and Welfare in the VP Singh Government in 1989. In 1996, he led the ruling alliance in the lok Sabha as the Prime Minister was a member of the Rajya Sabha. In 2000, Paswan drifted away from the Janata Dal to form the lJP. Following the 2004 lok Sabha elections, he joined the UPA Government. He has left his imprints by serving as a Union Minister under five different Prime Ministers.
In an interview to The Pioneer, Paswan spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on February 12 in Bhubaneswar.
What are the noticeable changes in your Government under the leadership of ModijiIJ
The changes under the BJP Government are not only noticeable but also remarkable. In past, our Prime Ministers used to visit foreign countries but there were hardly few listeners. But today, you see our Prime Minister visits foreign countries, be it Russia, France, Canada or the US, or be it our neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri lanka; there are lakhs of listeners sharing our PM’s ideas. This is certainly a remarkable facet of our PM’s kaleidoscopic personality. You see, our Government under the effective leadership of Modiji has taken the food security burden of 20 crore families by providing them khatas or cards.
The Central Government claims a lion’s share in the popular rice distribution schemes of the present BJD regime in Odisha. What is your response to the sameIJ
The Central Government under the BJP rule doesn’t believe in beating its own drums since we believe in delivering services to our people. You must know that our department is providing Rs27 per kg of rice while the consumer pays Rs1. The remaining Rs2 per kg of rice is being paid by the Naveen Patnaik Government here in Odisha. The gullible masses are swept by propaganda and believe that the Naveen Patnaik Government is providing them rice at Rs2 per kg which is only a myth. “Isko khatam hona chahiye” (This propaganda should be brought to an end). I don’t understand why mediamen do not cut any ice here! It is the duty of the media to educate the people in this regard.
There are a lot of scams relating to ration cards in every State. For example, Didi has stopped issuing new cards and is depending on the old ration cards in WB. Is there no effective control of the Central Government over the system that the poorest of the poor reap the bonanza out of the National Food Security ActIJ
We only frame the policy. The implementation part rests with the State Governments since ours is a Federal structure. We have no instrument at our disposal to check the effectiveness of the system excepting stopping supply of the food grains, in case there is a complaint regarding any State. look then, in such a scenario the poor only will be at the receiving end. That again, we worsen the plight of the poor in the country. The only remedy available to us is for complete digitalisation, In this process, four crore false ration cards have been weeded out from the system so far. Besides, two portraits or photographs of the consumer will be at the top of the ration card. Thereafter, it is the bounden duty of the State Government to see through their public distribution system if the food grains delivered reach the poor in every nook and corner of the state. Again, I should say it depends on end-to-end computerisation under the present food security Act in order to reach its desired mission.
Odisha is more known for rice production, and there is a little of wheat production here. Why don’t you sanction more wheat to meet the State’s requirementIJ
I have met your Chief Minister. There are no complaints with regard to this. We used to send more food consignments and your State is in the habit of returning the food grains since the despatch is always more than the State’s requirement. For example, we had despatched 21,78,000 tonnes of food grains, but your State could receive only 20,77,000 tonnes and returned the rest. Thus, where does the question of neglecting Odisha’s requirement in wheat sector lieIJ
When shall Bharat be self-reliant in food sectorIJ
There is no question of will be or shall be. We are already self-sufficient in food sector excepting dal and edible oils, which we are importing. India is surplus in other food sectors.
What are the food items we are exportingIJ
We are exporting many food items including rice on demand from outside. We are also exporting quality sugar and many such other items.
Crude oil prices have come down in the international market, but the prices of petrol and diesel for the consumer remain unaltered here in India. What is your opinion on thisIJ
I have to meet your query although this is not my subject area. You know that in our department we are giving Rs1,31,000 crore as subsidy to meet the demands of our people in the food sector. Similarly, subsidies are required for gas, petroleum and for Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana and for such other innumerable welfare measures. The Central Government has to collect the revenue for such welfare schemes and as a part of its duty has to pay 42% of the Central revenue to the States. If all the prices come down, how then will the welfare measures be undertaken for peopleIJ
In your home State Bihar, there are disturbing reports of the ritual drama of dominance and death. What is your considered opinion to thisIJ
As a mediaman, you must be well aware of the fact that the RJD’s rule is the rule of the jungle. How can the RJD work in tandem with the rule of law! Every day, there are reports of rape, robbery, murder and the like. There are murders of engineers, murders of businessmen, murders of journalists and murders of policemen. People are now repenting for having cast their votes in favour of the RJD. JDU workers are now dominated by RJD mafias. Nitishji is probably fully demoralised by now. People of Bihar are now living in a state of utter hallucination. Previously, criminals ran away after sensing the presence of policemen, but now look at the difference. Now, the Bihar police take to their heels on seeing the advent of a criminal. The reason is simple. When the criminals are going on their spree with their AK-47 rifles, policemen are poorly adorned with their moribund rifles and ramshackle vehicles.