The central decision to provide 35 kg of food grains per month for a year for free to 81 crore people of the country is commendable, despite it being done with the upcoming elections in mind. At present, foodgrains are being provided to the weaker sections, the starving and the middle class through ration shops at subsidized rates. The subsidy rate for grains like maize is only Rs 1. Wheat is being given at the rate of Rs 2 and rice at the rate of Rs 3 as part of the food security scheme. 35 kg foodgrains per month will be given to all families below the fixed income by completely stopping the subsidized food supply. The Centre will spend Rs 2 lakh crore on free grain distribution till December 2023.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana scheme, for the last 28 months, the poor families are being given five kilograms of grain for free. It has been decided to merge this in the scheme which will come into force in early January. When 35 kg of grain is provided completely free, there is no relevance of subsidized grain distribution or free grain distribution. The country has enough stock to fully meet the food needs of 140 crore people. The country has been in prosperity for some years in terms of food grain production. Grain exports have also reached new heights. It is an achievement that there was no decrease in agricultural production even after a year-long farmers' strike. Grain storage was improved which helped to keep the stock in order. There was no crisis in food production and distribution has also helped the Center to make the Food Security Act beneficial to the people. The Covid pandemic has made the life of common people very miserable. Crores of people were left unemployed. The shutdown of large and small industries and small businesses for months had plunged the country into a deep economic recession. The big advantage is that the agriculture sector was not weakened by the Covid crisis that lasted for two and a half years. Rs 2 lakh crore required for free foodgrain distribution to 81 crore people is borne by the Centre. Despite the obvious politics, the project is very comforting for poor families.

With the modernization of ration shops and the distribution system, large-scale embezzlement and looting have been controlled to some extent. In the meantime, some are still looting and doing business in the black market. Illegal trade continues even after the introduction of a biometric system to ensure that the ration is purchased by the genuine consumer. It is still common to see grain sacks taken to ration shops to be diverted and ending up in black marketeers' godowns. The illiterate poor are often cheated. Black market and smuggling of ration with the connivance of officials should be effectively curbed without opening up more opportunities for such cunning people in the free grain distribution scheme. Rice and wheat should reach the real beneficiaries. State food departments should be careful in this regard. The free grain distribution scheme is valid till next December. After that, the project should be prolonged by any means as the poor's hunger are not only during elections.