PRAGOTI

The UPA government in its Common Minimum Programme has committed itself to strengthen the PDS. However, none of the steps that were implemented to align India's food economy with the global system dominated by speculators and MNCs were reversed. The Food Minister has taken refuge behind the argument that the present skyrocketing of the food prices in the country is induced by the global situation. This is not borne out by the facts. To the insistence of the Left parties over the last few years that the key to food security is the PDS and public stock, the government's response was non-challant.

It’s long past time we re-claim a rational economic and agriculture policy in this country and globally, before it’s too late. The unregulated free market has proven itself the gambling addict that it is—incapable of self control. We saw it in the sub-prime mortgage crisis and we’re seeing it in the current food crisis. Now global leaders have a choice: they can either regulate, or leave the fate of our economic and food systems to the next roll of the dice.