Food-Grain based Alcohol

Facts, Concerns and Action

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Facts - Policy

(1 of 5) • Government Policy: Food Grain based liquid and integrated material Financial Aid - 2007 • • Alcohol from food grains - wheat, rice, jawar, bajra and corn Policy to promote only potable alcohol (i.e. liquor )

NOT

the industrial alcohol • • • Sell of liquor is permitted

within Maharashtra state only

Purchase of grains - from Maharashtra state only Total permitted factories - 36

Facts – Policy

(2 of 5)

Locations of Grain-Liquor Factories

Facts - Subsidy

(3 of 5) • Rs. 10 for each liter of potable alcohol produced • Subsidy upto 50 crores to each factory • Already distributed 8.93 crores rupees to THREE factories • Particulars: • In Marathwada and Vidharbha • • D+ Zone - Rs. 50 crores or 200% of capital cost D Zone - Rs 37.5 crores or 150% of capital cost (whichever is lowest) • In rest of the Maharashtra • D and D+ Zone - Rs. 25 crores or 100 % of capital cost (whichever is lowest)

Facts - Quantum of Alcohol

(4 of 5) • Annual alcohol production capacity - 50 crore liters • One liter absolute alcohol ~ 2.2 liters of liquor • Liquor production - 110 crore liters per annum • Liquor production - 30 lakh liters per day

Facts - Grain Requirement

(5 of 5) • One liter of Alcohol needs 2.8 kg of grains • 50 crore liters of alcohol will consume 14 lakh tons of grain per annum

“Vision” of Government

• • For better utilization of bad or rotten food-grains To offer better prices to food grains in the market and to support rain-fed farmers of Vidarbh and Marathwada • • To meet the demand of grain liquor in European countries Why subsidy?

• Process of manufacturing alcohol from grain is costlier than molasses by Rs. 6 to 7 per liter • Hence Government have offered subsidy of Rs. 10 per litter of alcohol produced

Why Subsidy for Liquor?

• Subsidy - essential commodities like kerosene, cooking gas, chemical fertilizers, and fuel • Is liquor essential?

• What is the source of the subsidy?

Why we common man should shell out for benefits of few grain liquor producers?

Grain Liquor and Food Security

• • • Procurement of food grains - from Maharashtra state only Annual food grain requirement - 14 lakh tons The total grain (includes Wheat, Rice, Maize, Jowar and Bajra) production in Maharashtra for year 2006-07 is 101 Lakh tons.

(Directorate of Economics and Statistics, India)

•

Total 14% produced food grains are diverted for grain liquor production Do we have rotten grains of 14 lakh tons per annum?

Self-sufficiency of State in Grains

• In year 2005-06 • Cereal production of Maharashtra - 97.46 lakh tons • Cereal consumption of state - 122.8 lakh tons • Maharashtra imported 25.34 lakh tones of cereals to fulfill the hunger of its people.

(Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2007-08)

•

Maharashtra had imported 20 % cereals and now 14% of our cereal production we are diverting for grain liquor.

Per Capita Cereals Availability

• Per capita per year cereals availability in India - 154.6 kg (10 years average 1996-2006) • Per capita per year cereals consumption in Maharashtra: • Urban area - 123 kg • Rural area - 104 kg •

14 lakh tones of grains ~ yearly grain requirement of more than 1 crore population.

Instead of focusing on ‘How to increase per capita grain consumption?’ Why Government is promoting grain liquor?

Is India self reliant in food grains?

• Since April 2006 India is importing wheat • In 2006-07 - 55 lakh tons • In 2007-08 - 17.69 lakh tons

India ranks 65th out of 84 in the global hunger index. It is even below the countries like Keniya,Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Cambodia.

Who are Factory Owners?

• • • • • • Amit Deshmukh - son of ex CM Vilasrao Deshmukh Pankaja Palave - daughter of BJP leader Gopinath Munde Vimaltai Mundada (ex Health Minister) Govindrao Aadik (MLA - NCP) Sunil Birajdar (ex-Mayor Navi Mumbai, NCP) Dhaval Pratapsingh Mohite Patil (nephew of ex PWD minister) • and many more

Alternate Solution of PDS

• Maharashtra importing wheat and rice from Haryana and Punjab under PDS

(000’ tonnes) Wheat Rice 2005-06

1563 947

2006-07

1381 1124

2007-08

1274 425

2008-09

1518 439 • • Government can procure jowar and bajara from farmers instead of huge import Impact • Farmers will get good returns • Poor people will get local grains to eat. No need to change food culture.

In India, 18 states already started procuring local grains under Public distribution System (PDS).

Actions

• A state level

Daru Virodhi Parishad

held on 11th January at Chembur, Mumbai • • Arround 1200 women from 22 Social Organization were participated Action plan was decided against the policy

How we can protest?

• • • • • Talk with the people Signature campaigning Postcard campaigning Write directly to CM Pass the resolution in Gram Sabha

We appeal to Youth, Youth Organizations, Self-Help Group, Organizations of Senior Citizens, Teacher Associations and individuals to participate in this protest.

THANK YOU!!!

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