Yadav slams Food Security Policy

Bhopal, Jun 27 (UNI) Questioning the Centre's Food Security Policy, Janata Dal(United) President Sharad Yadav today felt that the permission for direct acquisition of wheat by the private sector ought to be withdrawn forthwith in view of allegedly deleterious effects.

''Statistics make those effects abundantly clear. Earlier, the acquisition through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) was 220 to 240 lakh tonnes but sharply declined to approximately 90 lakh last year while this year's figure was 60 lakh,'' he told journalists here.

The former Union minister said if the state of affairs continued, then the country might be forced soon to undertake large-scale import of the crop. He mooted total FCI control as was the case earlier.

Expressing concern over spiralling food grain prices, Mr Yadav said, ''This sequence of events was triggered off even prior to the petro prices hike. A major reason is the inclusion of sugar, pulses and several other items in the futures market. A SEBI-like body ought to be constituted for that market.'' UNI SD-AC SHR HT1918