People's Democracy

RESOLUTION

THIS sangharsh sabha of the All India Democratic Women’s Association called against price rise and for food security is being held on the anniversary of the Quit India Day - when the call against British rule resounded through the country.  Even as we remember the numerous sacrifices made by hundred and thousands of women and men in the struggle for independence, the shameful inequalities, poverty and hunger that mark India today symbolise a betrayal of the promises which had been made by the leaders of independent India. It underlines the urgency of a united struggle of the working people against capitalist loot and exploitation. While pledging to be part of the struggle for an equitable society, this sangharsh sabha against price rise and for food security  holds that the nature of the present policy measures reflects the anti-poor character of the present Congress led government. These are: the hike in prices of petroleum products, the draft food security bill and the BPL census

On Price Rise:

Reiterates that the policies of the Congress led UPA government such as weakening of the PDS, refusal to ban future trade in agricultural commodities, no strong action against hoarders and blackmarketeers etc are squarely responsible for the relentless rise in prices of essential commodities. Price rise is not only an undeclared tax on the working people of this country, but it has further intensified undernourishment and malnourishment at a time when half of India’s women and three fourths of India’s children suffer from anemia

Condemns the deregulation of the prices of petrol and the subsequent hiking of the price of petrol by an unprecedented 15 times during its two year rule and that of diesel 11 times. Together with the increase in the prices of LPG and kerosene, the government has dealt a cruel blow to the poor and the middle classes while private petrol companies have benefited enormously. These price hikes have had a cascading impact in raising the prices of all other commodities

Demands a rollback in the prices of petroleum products, a ban on future trade in agricultural commodities and strong action against blackmarketeers and profiteers

On Food Security Bill

Condemns the callousness of the government of India which in spite of having a huge buffer stock of 64 million tonnes, a substantial part of which is rotting in the open has refused to introduce a universal public distribution system.

Strongly criticises the present food security bill draft as:

1.                 The bill rejects a universal public distribution system which is the only guarantee for food security.

2.                 The bill divides the poor and excludes a big section by continuing the system of targeting into APL and BPL categories based on the flawed poverty estimations of the Planning Commission.

3.                  The bill, at a time when the numbers of poor and unemployed are increasing, legalises the caps on those who can be officially recognised as poor in each state ignoring the estimates of state governments. Only 46 per cent in rural areas and just 28 per cent in urban areas can be recognised as poor.

4.                 The bill keeps price of rice at three rupees for BPL and no fixed price for APL whereas many states give rice for two rupees.

5.                 The bill guarantees only 3 kg per individual for APL families which means that a family of five will get only 15 kgs. This is making a mockery of food security.

6.                 The bill makes it mandatory to introduce cash transfers instead of foodgrains which will lead to food insecurity, weaken the PDS and hit the interests of farmers as procurement will slow down.

Rejects the flawed argument of lack of resources for a universal PDS

Asserts that if government would bring back the black money stashed in foreign banks, stop tax concessions to the rich and use the five lakh crores rupees gifted away as tax foregone, a universal PDS would be possible

On BPL census

Holds that the present census design is an attempt to undercount the poor and thus deprive them of their entitlement and share in national resources

Demands that while regular government employees, big landlords and income tax payers can be automatically excluded from BPL categories, the automatic inclusion category should ensure that exploited and deprived sections of our population should be automatically included in the BPL category. These should include widows, domestic workers, female headed families, SC/STs, disabled, those in traditional industries, fisherfamilies, agricultural workers, MGREGA workers.

Resolves to challenge these policy measures -to fight for alternative, pro people policies for a universal food security legislation, to stop undercounting of the poor in the BPL census and for measures against price rise.

This sangharsh sabha calls for sustained and militant struggles to achieve our demands.