There is no doubt that one measure of the progress of a country is that none of its citizens sleep in hunger.
This is also the responsibility of the rulers. But the good situation is that every hand gets work and the person does not have to be dependent on any relief scheme.
In a country like India, where economic inequality is at its peak and the concept of social justice has not been fulfilled by casteist prejudices, the circumstances demand relief for the weaker sections.
Then due to partition, displacement, natural calamities, accidents and epidemics, lakhs of people become helpless.
Natural calamities like floods, Drought and other outbreaks increase the number of poor. This is the reason why those who cannot afford their maintenance responsibilities need government help. Which is also the constitutional obligation of the governments.
More or less, the National Food Security Act was implemented in the country to discharge this responsibility.
Under the Food Security Scheme, arrangements were made to provide five kg of food grains free of cost to every poor person every month.
On the other hand, under the Antyodaya Yojana made for the maintenance of extremely poor families, arrangements were made to provide thirty-five kilograms of food grains to each family.
But where a symbolic price had to be paid for food grains given under food security, on the other hand, food grains given in Antyodaya Yojana are given free of cost.
But after the countrywide Corona crisis, when a widespread employment crisis arose due to adverse conditions, an attempt was made to find a solution to the hunger crisis through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Whose time was also extended over time.
Now the government has stopped the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. But on the other hand, the time limit for distribution of food grains given under National Food Security Scheme and Antyodaya Yojana has been increased by one year. Which will be available free of cost.
Somewhere, the intention of the government is that the aim of national food security should not be affected by the closure of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana started during the Corona crisis.
Hunger and poverty have also been a major political issue in the country. This is the reason why the government is saying that more than eighty one crore people of the country will get the benefit of this scheme.
The huge expenditure that will be incurred on this will be borne by the government. It is a fact that due to the restrictions imposed for the Corona crisis and other reasons, the employment crisis in the country has arisen.
That too has not yet reached the pre-Corona stage. Unemployment rate has increased in the country.
At the same time, new apprehensions are being born regarding the Corona crisis.
In such a situation, it is necessary to give strength to the people who reached below the poverty line.
That too when there has been a decline in India’s position in the World Hunger Index.
On the other hand, the reality is that the government is facing economic challenges due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and recession.
In such a situation, it will be difficult to provide free food grains to more than half of the population for a long time.
That too when food production has been adversely affected due to the global warming crisis.
On the other hand, due to increase in crude oil prices, imports have increased and exports have declined.
Under the National Food Security Act, making food grains available to 50 percent of the urban and 75 percent of the rural population of the country is also an indication that one-sided development is not able to change the life of the last person in the society.
There is a need to make a comprehensive strategy to provide work to every hand and reduce the dependence of people on government ration.
Only then the country will be able to progress in the true sense. The challenge is also that by next year, India will become the country with the largest population in the world.
