Should the Food Security Act cover the entire population?

The majority feels that the Food Security Act should cover the entire population. But such a policy decision would be difficult to implement.

The watered-down Act cleared by the National Advisory Council (NAC), under the stewardship of Sonia Gandhi, aims to provide 35 kg of foodgrains a month at `3 a kg to the entire population barring the rich in a quarter of India's poorest districts. But in the other parts of the country, only 45-50 per cent of the population will be covered despite Gandhi's keenness to ensure wider coverage. The NAC apparently factored in the supply of foodgrains before taking the decision.

And it does appear to be a sound decision. The objective of the Act should be to ensure that the poorest of the poor benefit. India's affluent middle class should not benefit at the expense of the poor.