By IANS,
New Delhi : Per capita availability of food grains and cereals has been decreasing in India — at a time when the government is planning to enact a law to ensure food security.
Latest data from the agriculture ministry show that the per capita availability of food grains had fallen to 436 grams per day in 2008 from 442.8 grams in 2007. In 2006, it was 445.3 grams.
Similarly, the per capita availability of cereals had slid to 394.2 grams a day in 2008 from 407.4 grams in 2007. In 2006, it was 412.8 grams.
However, availability of pulses has gone up. In 2008, it increased to 41.8 grams per day from 35.5 grams a year earlier. It was 32.5 grams in 2006.
The government has proposed to bring in the National Food Security Act, under which every Below Poverty Line (BPL) family will get 25 kg of wheat or rice per month for Rs.3 per kg.