Determined to formulate food security act: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said his government was determined to formulate a national food security act to ensure that no citizen goes to bed hungry. "We want that no citizen of our country must sleep hungry. We are determined about the formulation of the national food security act," he said at the 83rd plenary session of the Congress party here.

The prime minister added that with a good monsoon, India has had a good production of wheat and rice this year, and the focus would now be on food distribution so that the problem of hunger can be dealt with.

"We are also determined to improve the public distribution system so that the lower strata of the society may benefit from the food security act. The centre and states will have to work together for this," he added.

The prime minister also said that communicable diseases would be added to the agenda of major health programmes like the National Rural Health Mission.

"In the field of health, through programmes like the rural health mission we will make all efforts to provide basic health facilities to every citizen. Now special attention will be paid on communicable diseases under this mission," he said.