"POOR" Politics- Food Security Bill

I inaugurate this topic with a question to everyone “Are we encouraging poor people to remain poor by granting them freebies or extraordinary subsidies?”

The recent freebies offered by the government  is Food security Bill –FSB which is finally cleared its way to UPPER HOUSE also, on 03^rd Sep-2013. It is just one step to become a law. After President’s Consent (Which he is binding to), it will become Law.

This bill will have major SOCIAL impact.  Though it will certainly have ECONOMICAL AND POLITICAL impact too. But I am more worried about its social Impact. How it going to ruined the poor and makes them dependent on governments.
There is a Chinese proverb, which I am sure everyone must have heard, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”

But here in India, seems, things are going in otherwise way

The social Impact of Food Security Bill-FSB:

Social:  After 66 years of independence where are we? Is it what we have achieved that still we have a sizable population which cannot afford a meal, which comes first in the list of our primary needs?

Is the Government really serious to deal with the poverty or they just want poor to remain poor so that they can throw some food, some clothes in the name of some bill and get their vote.

If we look closely, it smells a bigger conspiracy by our ruling class to let the poor , remain poor so that this can be used as a political option, whenever it is required

In the almost 7 decades no serious effort has been made to improve the conditions of the poor class, or upliftment of the poor.

Poor who are illiterate too, has never been informed about their right and the obligation of the government to betterment of their lives.

Instead of doing a comprehensive program to make them skilled enough so that they can earn enough to make their living, government has always kept them in a condition where they have to live on the mercy of the government. And  in return they oblige to government  by giving their votes.

Over a period of time this has become a mindset among the poor that it is their right to get free food grains, electricity and water….and they forget their actual right to question the government on their long term plan to get rid of the poverty. To have access to all other facilities.

Even MANREGA fails to achieve what it was supposed to achieve. Under MANREGA also government can employ them in various industrial sectors, such as manufacturing, automotive and so on and so forth.  So that they can acquire some skills. But here also government seems, in no mood to do so. Most of MANREGA works are a pure labor job, where no skill set can be built; Such as digging well, ponds…..

The Political Impact of Food Security Bill-FSB:

Political: As the Mega Political Festival-The General Election is just round the corner. So this bill will serve two purposes.  First it is the festive Freebie from the ruling part so they may think it could be major Game Changer for them. Second, in the backdrop of Food Security Bill People may forget the failure of government on almost every front and rising corruption. Or this bill may work as soother and people may forgive the government, otherwise.

The Economical Impact of Food Security Bill-FSB:

Economical: This bill shows the disconnect between Indian politics and the current market situation. As this FSB(Food Security Bill) will subsidized the food grain, as per estimates it will cost Rs 1.25 lakh crore(Rs.12500000000000) . First this extra money cannot be arranged from some extra fund coming from nowhere. It is going to come from the pocket of tax payers or cutting the subsidies from other thing. And the easiest target is to cut the fuel subsidy. I would like to add here is, the Fuel Subsidy is most appropriate and rational subsidy to which all country of the world agree to. Cutting fuel subsidy will further worsen the situation and it will translate to Price Hike, Inflation. Second at this stage of the economy where especially, the financial market - where foreign currency has been taken out by FDIs , company shares are not performing even at par, and confidence in India's economic future takes a hit.  Still, instead of passing urgent measures to prop up such confidence, the Government is focusing on measures like FSB that are very dangerous for the economy

At the last I leave this question to you, still open, Are we encouraging poor people to remain poor by granting them freebies or extraordinary subsidies?

I welcome all your views….