This will have an adverse impact on increasing malnutrition and hunger. The CPI(M) strongly opposes such a policy shift away from provision of foodgrains, kerosene, fertilizers etc instead of providing for a universal PDS at controlled prices.
In order to intensify the campaign and widen the movement, the Left parties decided to conduct a countrywide mass signature campaign.The Left parties have given a call to collect five crore signatures. Members and activists of the Left parties will go house-to-house to collect signatures in the months of December 2012 and January 2013.
The CPI(M) strongly opposes the Government’s decision to sell 10 million tonnes of “surplus” foodstock to bulk consumers like flour millers and biscuit makers through auction under the open market sale scheme as a part of its supposed plan to tackle inflation and dispose the rising foodstocks. 2.5 million tonnes of grain will be allocated monthly through auction for the next four months on a “no profit, no loss basis”.
The Left parties will stage a five day sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar from July 30 to August 3 against price rise and to demand the right to food through a universal public distribution system. The General Secretaries of the four parties, Prakash Karat, Sudhakar Reddy, Debabrata Biswas and T.J.Chandrachoodan, will lead it.
It appears that the Central Government wants to utilize the widespread demand for a strong Food Security Bill to push through narrow agendas of those agribusinesses and corporates who want dismantling of the PDS and a truncated Food security Bill.
