New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Monday passed UPA’s landmark Food Security Bill, seeking to provide food at highly subsidised rates to 67 per cent - 800 million - of India’s 1.2 billion people.Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the BJP would support the Bill despite it being “half-baked and weak”.
Earlier, on Monday, the Bill was taken up in Lok Sabha with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi asking all parties to set aside differences and ensure its unanimous passage, even as outside ally SP demanded it be put in abeyance till states are consulted. Main Opposition BJP called it a “Vote Security Bill”. The food security bill was first introduced in Parliament in December 2011.
Later, the government brought an ordinance for the same which has been replaced by the bill being debated.
BJP dubbed the measure as “vote security bill” and picked holes as he questioned as to how it would be implemented and who would be the beneficiaries.
Initiating the debate after Food Minister KV Thomas moved the bill for consideration, Murli Manohar Joshi (BJP) said he was in favour of the legislation that will provide highly subsidised food to two-third of the country’s population.
At the same time, he said there were flaws in the bill which should be rectified.
Suggesting that the bill had been brought with an eye on the elections, Joshi said, “In 2009, the then President of India in his Address had talked about Food Security Bill. But you have brought this bill when you are going out...”
“The question is not whether we have enough resources or not and whether it would benefit the farmers or not. We have to arrange resources for it. We have to do it,” Gandhi said in the House where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav contended that the bill was being brought with an eye on elections and said it should be kept in abeyance till Chief Ministers are consulted as it would put additional burden on states. With agency inputs
Key elements of Food Bill
* Nation’s two-third population to get 5 kg of foodgrain every month, at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.
* The government to spend Rs 1,25,000 crore annually on supply of food grains to 67 per cent of the population.
* Work of identification of eligible households is left to the states/UTs.
* If foodgrain is not provided, beneficiaries will get an equivalent amount transferred to their bank accounts linked to the Aadhar cards.
* Wheat will be available at Rs 2 per kg, rice at Rs 3 per kg and coarse grain at Re.1 per kg.
* BPL, APL and slum ration card holders will be included.
Bill a historic step: Cong chief
New Delhi: Making a strong pitch for the smooth passage of the Food Security Bill, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Monday India is making history by promising to provide cheap staple food to two-thirds of the Indian population.
Speaking on the discussion in Lok Sabha on Food Bill, Gandhi said, “I am standing in support of Food Bill. It’s time to take the historic step.”
Declaring Congress’ goal to “wipe out hunger and malnutrition”, Gandhi asked all parties to set aside differences and support the Food Security Bill so that a “big message” could be sent out.
“We are open to constructive criticism,” she said reading from a written statement.Opposition BJP said “this is not a Food Security Bill but a vote security bill”, with senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi accusing the government of fooling the people and questioning the delay in bringing the bill.
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