By M H Ahssan
Do promises of hugely subsidised rice for the poor prove a gamechanger in elections? This a question that stares us in the face as parties queue up to shower rice on the voter. This is certainly not the first time promises of cheap grain have been made, but the idea seems to have gained currency much more than in the past.
So why is the idea suddenly so hot, even though it was first offered 42 years ago? In 1967, DMK pledged it would give in Tamil Nadu three measures of rice for one rupee. That was the first time it swept to power in the state. Ironically, the promise was not quite fulfilled.
NTR Rama Rao took a leaf out of Tamil Nadu in 1983 when he borrowed Anna’s winning formula and offered rice at Rs 2 per kg. His newly formed TDP ended up winning more than two-thirds of the seats in the assembly, a stunning achievement considering that the party was so new that its MLAs were officially characterized as “independents’’ — possibly the only occasion when independents have won a majority in an election.
That too was 26 years ago. But suddenly last year, it was the Big Idea for politicians. In 2008, as many as six states saw parties promising, or governments giving, subsidised grain to the poor. The year began with the Chhattisgarh government introducing a scheme of 35 kg of rice at Rs 3 per kg for families below the poverty line (BPL). In April, the Madhya Pradesh government followed suit, announcing 20 kg of wheat at Rs 3 per kg or 20 kg of rice at Rs 4.5 per kg for poor.
In the same month, the Andhra Pradesh government launched the Rs 2 a kilo rice scheme for BPL families and in neighbouring Karnataka the BJP made a similar promise a key plank in its elec tion manifesto. In August, Naveen Pat naik in Orissa also declared that the state would provide 25 kg of rice at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families and also to those above the poverty line in the districts of Kala handi, Bolangir and Koraput.
In September last, M Karunanidhi chose the occasion of C Annadurai ‘ birth anniversary to announce that all ration card holders would be given rice at Re 1 per kg, TN having already intro duced a 2-rupee scheme in 2006 in fulfill ing an election promise made by DMK.
Look at the electoral dividends and you’ll realise why the idea is so hot Karunanidhi in TN, Shivraj Chauhan in MP, Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Yediyurappa in Karnataka all won elec tions following the promise or delivery of cheap grain. Patnaik had the satis faction of a stupendous show in the local body elections that followed, while YS Ra jasekhara Reddy is yet to find out whether cheap rice will do the trick for him.
History also suggests that every time one party promises something like this the opponents follow suit, but the first one to make the promise seems to have a first-mover advantage. The UPA will be hoping that is indeed the case and that its implementation of the rural employ ment guarantee scheme will give its lat est promise added credibility. The NDA on the other hand, will hope that match ing or bettering the promise will level the playing field.
SC panel slams rice politics
The poll-eve race among political parties to promise food grains at cheap rates to the poor, when implemented, is counter-productive, warns the Justice D P Wadhwa Committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Set up by the Supreme Court in 2006 for a reality check on the health of the working of the public distribution system (PDS), the report said: “PDS system is inefficient and corrupt. There is an unholy nexus between the transporters, fair price (FP) shop owners and officials of the department of food and civil supply.”
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