Untitled - National Human Rights Commission

. lntcgration with primary healthcare isexcecdingly important.For
exam ple,de-worm ing should bcm adecom pulsory atleastonce in
two m onths.M uitipicfortificd saltscould l)cused in noon meal
programmcsin ordcrto attack theproblem ofhidden hungercaused
by micronutrientsmainutrition.
*'
The Actcould stim ulateamovclnentforstoring grain and water
cverywherc through comm unity food and waterbanlts.A national
network ofcom munit'y food bankscould becstablishcd.
. N utrition ancleducation ax fundamenralto enabling evefy individual
to experienccaproductiveand healrhylife.Thereforerhe cnactment
ofaFood GuarantceActwilLethebestmethod ofensuring thatwe
areable to accomplish thcUN M ilennium DcvelopmentGoals.
* Thankstotheextcnsiveworkdonebothwithin the countryand outside
on issuesrelating to 'Rightto Foodt',thercisconsidered Iegaland
technicalexpertise available forpreparing aframework for lood
Guarantee.W eshould thereforc proceed with thisinitiative.
. Itwilibeappropriaccto operationaisethcFood GuaranteeAc:on
August 15,2007,which marksthe60th anniversac of lndia's
independencc.
Thetwin advantage ofthisapproach wilbehigherfood production
inducted byenhanced consum p:ion and :he achievementof :he UN M DG
rclating to hungerand povcrty.
Road M ap forElim inating H unger
In acountnrwith ahigh prevalcnceofpoverty and m alnutrition,the
Governm entofIndiaskould alwaysretain acom manding position in the
managem entofthefood securiv system.-fhiswilcalforagrain purchase
pclicy which takesinto accounstlxe changesin thecostofproduction,
(suchasarisein dieselpricc),subsequenttotheannouncemcntofa
Minimum SupportPricc(M S17),TenderswilgiveapriceaboveM SP
when they expectthatpriceswith theIesonsoftheBcngalFamineof
1942-43,where m ilionsdied outofstarvation notbecausetherewasno
food in them arket,butbecausethe surpiusfood stocltswcrein thehands
ofprivatem erchants.Building astustainablefood security system 'wil
requireattention to bod:theavailability ofsum cicntstoclcsand control