The Democles’s sword of price rise for rice

By O.J.George
Short supply of rice is looming large before the people of Kerala, according to reports. Traders are waiting savagely to make a fast buck during shortage.

Black marketing, hoarding and profiteering are criminal acts, according to the law. But that is precisely what would ensue, if eatables are not plentily available.

Lemons are not available as per demand now. Traders charge more than Rs 100 per kilogramme of lemon. The rate was Rs 20 for a kilogramme when it was available lavishly.

In the case of rice, there will be black sheep who would channel ration rice in black maket and fetch disproportionate profits.

For a state like Kerala which cannot feed its people with the produce any time in human history, it would be dependent on other rice-producing states.

The assurance of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister, about ensuring supply through the public distribution system is waning during modern times.

Last year Food Minister Sharad Pawar had commented that the state should procure rice from the open market as the Centre cannot ensure procurement in full.

Here in Kerala, we have been depending on the Centre, more or less, for our rice, wheat and kerosene requirements.As time lapses, we have to keen an eye open and think about procurement either from within the country or through import with the Centre’s sanction to keep the people properly fed.

Meanwhile, there have been complaints about the inadequacy of the proposed food security scheme.

There is truth in the argument as the Centre is imposing a certain quota of BPL list (Below the Poverty Line) on the state.

The Centre fixes a quota and asks the state to accept it. That is far from logical. It is the state government which can finalise a list of the BPL list.

First of all the BPL list of the Centre is far smaller than that prepared by the state. Then there is another lacuna.

The APL (Above the Poverty Line) people are kept out.The government should be beyond shame if it considers the APL people are comfortable.

What is this APL paradigm? Those having an equivalent of a dollar income per day are apparently above the poverty line.

The comfort zone is when the government would be able to discharge its duty to feed all kinds of people. Those who can afford luxury can dispense with government largesse. But those who need support should be taken care of.

Now when the permits issued to the farmers of Andhra Pradesh for export of rice outside AP lapse soon, Keralites would be down in the dumps and rice would be costlier. State Government, better take notice of the impending problem.