Thread by @RohanV, Giant gaps in the Covid-19 relief package:"More than 100 million people are [...]

Giant gaps in the Covid-19 relief package:

"More than 100 million people are excluded from the public distribution system because the central government insists on using the 2011 census population figures to calculate state-wise coverage."

https://scroll.in/article/959235/100-million-indians-fall-through-gaps-in-food-safety-net-economists-urge-rethink-on-covid-19-relief

Amartya Sen, Raghuram Rajan, Abhijit Banerjee call on the Indian government to give food to everyone who is willing to stand in line to get it, not just those on PDS lists.

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/coronavirus-india-lockdown-economy-amartya-sen-raghuram-rajan-abhijit-banerjee-6364521/

"The Pune Zilla Parishad will provide temporary ‘ration cards’ to more than 80,000 undocumented people in the district, so they can receive foodgrains under the Public Distribution System." https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/in-pune-zilla-parishad-temporary-cards-to-help-80000-people-access-pds-foodgrain-6370142/

In Pune Zilla Parishad, temporary cards to help 80,000 people access PDS foodgrain

The delivery of benefits including PDS grain to migrants trapped by the lockdown, and to those who are unable to provide documents, has been a major concern across states.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/in-pune-zilla-parishad-temporary-cards-to-help-80000-people-access-pds-foodgrain-6370142/

Hunger hangs large over India. There is one thing Centre can do immediately to address the problem

The government is sitting on 77 million tonnes of food stocks. It should release that to the states right away. https://scroll.in/article/959432/hunger-hangs-large-over-india-there-is-one-thing-centre-can-do-immediately-to-address-the-problem

Hunger hangs large over India. There is one thing Centre can do immediately to address the problem

The government is sitting on 77 million tonnes of food stocks. It should release that to the states right away.

https://scroll.in/article/959432/hunger-hangs-large-over-india-there-is-one-thing-centre-can-do-immediately-to-address-the-problem

The @bsindia reports that, despite no guidance on this from the Centre (and no free grain), states have begun to universalise rations:

UP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Delhi, with different details (and some problems) in each. https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/states-push-ahead-to-include-non-card-holders-for-free-rations-under-pds-120042001287_1.html

States push ahead to include non-card holders for free rations under PDS

UP to distribute dry rations even to those without Aadhaar, Jharkhand to reach out even to those whose ration cards were cancelled, Delhi starts e-coupon system

https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/states-push-ahead-to-include-non-card-holders-for-free-rations-under-pds-120042001287_1.html

"Logic and fairness are on the side of the states: it would be quite hard for them to pay, while the central government would *save* money by releasing excess stocks that are expensive to maintain.

This is not the time to squeeze the states." https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/excess-rice-for-hand-sanitizers-but-not-the-starving-by-jean-dreze-2215376

Excess Rice For Hand Sanitizers - But Not The Starving - By Jean Dreze

https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/excess-rice-for-hand-sanitizers-but-not-the-starving-by-jean-dreze-2215376

It is clear that the Union wants states to pay for food grain even though the Centre would save by releasing excess stocks for free or a nominal rate.

Minister: "We are providing rice at Rs 22 per kg and wheat Rs 21 per kg... any state can buy." https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ram-vilas-paswan-coronavirus-enough-foodgrain-in-godowns-no-shortage-6374726/

Ram Vilas Paswan: ‘Enough foodgrain in godowns, no shortage’

Coronavirus (COVID-19): "There are some problems as far as supply of pulses are concerned. We have a buffer stock of pulses but these are un-milled," Paswan said.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ram-vilas-paswan-coronavirus-enough-foodgrain-in-godowns-no-shortage-6374726/

Foodgrain stocks in the Central pool stood at 73.85 million tonnes (mt) as on April 1, the highest ever for this date and three-and-a-half times the minimum operational-cum-strategic reserve requirement of 21.04 mt. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/foodgrain-stocks-wheat-stocks-food-corporation-of-india-rice-produciton-6380755/

Grain stocks hit record high of 73.85 million tonnes in April

The wheat stocks of 24.7 mt were 3.3 times the necessary level of 7.46 mt for April 1, when the procurement season for the new crop also starts.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/foodgrain-stocks-wheat-stocks-food-corporation-of-india-rice-produciton-6380755/

"Releasing additional grain would give states latitude to expand the PDS & support additional feeding efforts such as community kitchens... States should do all they can to make sure lockdown measures do not prevent people from accessing subsidised food." https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-india-lockdown-food-relief-poor-migrant-workers-mass-exodus-essential-commodities-supply-6403528/

Food before cash: Because PMJDY cash transfers will exclude many of India’s poorest

Cash is easy to carry and widely accepted. But, our analysis of nationally representative survey data, described below, suggests that these transfers will exclude many of India’s poorest and, for...

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-india-lockdown-food-relief-poor-migrant-workers-mass-exodus-essential-commodities-supply-6403528/

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