The Centre, on Friday, announced that it would provide 5 kg free food grains to the poor for May and June, covering nearly 800 million beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The plan will be rolled out along the same lines as the PM Garib Kalyan Yojna, announced in the wake of the national lockdown last year. Friday’s announcement is welcome, and comes in the wake of a record number of coronavirus cases and deaths, lockdown-like restrictions in many states, and clear signs of economic distress. Like last year, this year too, the worst-hit is the informal sector.
The ongoing reverse migration from cities to villages — though not of the same scale as last year, yet — is an example of this distress. However, providing just food grains will not be enough for the returning migrants as well as for the vulnerable across India’s towns and villages. What they need is a basket of options to sustain themselves. The first-ever task force on migration, the working group on migration, which was formed by the ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation in 2015, had several sound proposals: Ensure social protection by setting up unorganised workers social security boards; institute simple and effective modes for workers to register; improve access to the public distribution system (PDS); provide access to skill development and financial inclusion.
But the distress extends beyond migrant workers. The government must universalise the public distribution system (PDS). Last year, it unveiled the one-nation, one-ration card scheme. In February, the government said that the plan is under implementation by 32 states and Union Territories, reaching about 690 million beneficiaries — that’s a total of 86% beneficiaries covered. However, the plan will not have desired impact unless the PDS is universalised. Even more crucially, it is time for the government to consider direct cash transfers and income assistance to the poor. It did not do so last year, but given the intensity of the second wave, which shows no signs of abating, the distress this year will be acute. The country’s poor will need money to survive, access nutrition and health facilities, continue the education of their children, and cope with rising prices on one hand and lack of income-generating opportunities on the other. It is time to roll-out a new welfare toolkit.
{{/usCountry}}But the distress extends beyond migrant workers. The government must universalise the public distribution system (PDS). Last year, it unveiled the one-nation, one-ration card scheme. In February, the government said that the plan is under implementation by 32 states and Union Territories, reaching about 690 million beneficiaries — that’s a total of 86% beneficiaries covered. However, the plan will not have desired impact unless the PDS is universalised. Even more crucially, it is time for the government to consider direct cash transfers and income assistance to the poor. It did not do so last year, but given the intensity of the second wave, which shows no signs of abating, the distress this year will be acute. The country’s poor will need money to survive, access nutrition and health facilities, continue the education of their children, and cope with rising prices on one hand and lack of income-generating opportunities on the other. It is time to roll-out a new welfare toolkit.
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