Sonia Gandhi 'upset' over Food Bill delay

It is allies versus the Congress over the draft Food Security Bill. Sources have told TIMES NOW that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has expressed his reservations over the Food Bill over its huge financial implications on the Government as it proposes to increase food subsidy by over 30,000 crore on a Government already under massive financial stress and over the need for greater food grain procurement to meet the needs of the bill. But Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has hit the urgency button and wants the Bill introduced in Parliament at the earliest.

Despite facing opposition from allies, Ashwini Kumar, MoS, Planning, says food security is Government’s top priority. Kumar says Govt wants to bring the bill in Parliament at the earliest. The discussion on proposed Food Bill remained inconclusive following absence of representation from Trinamool Congress, an important ally of the UPA Government. Other key ally NCP also raised concerns about food grains availability and escalating food subsidy bill to implement the Food Bill. Trinamool Congress is believed to have demanded universalisation of Public Distribution System.

The proposed food law, considered to be a brain child of Gandhi, was given a go-ahead by the National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by the Congress President. The proposed Act seeks to give a legal entitlement to subsidised food grains to 63.5% of the country’s population. Under the proposed law, beneficiaries have been divided into priority households and the general households. Priority households are those below poverty line families in the existing public distribution system, while general households are above poverty line families.

In rural areas, up to 75% of the people will be covered by the Bill while in urban centres, it will cover up to 505 of the populace. The Bill seeks to provide seven kg of rice and wheat per month per person to priority households at Rs 3 and Rs 2 per kg, respectively. Persons under the general households would get at least three kg of rice and wheat at 50% of the minimum support price. Under the present PDS, the government provides 35 kg of grains per month to 6.52 crore BPL families at Rs 4.15 and Rs 5.65 per kg, respectively. Furthermore, About 11.5 crore APL families get between 15 and 35 kg of wheat and rice per month at Rs 6.10 and Rs 8.30/kg, respectively.