Electronic Bill gets go-ahead

Decision on food Bill was deferred as Chidambaram, A K Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad were absent in Cabinet meeting

The Union Cabinet today gave its consent to a Bill that aims to provide access to all Central and state government services, such as passport, ration card and driving licences electronically within eight years.

The Electronic Services Bill will mandate government organisations to start providing all services for citizens within eight years through the electronic medium. The Cabinet, however, deferred a decision on the revised National Food Security Bill and the proposal to abolish the levy mechanism for the sugar sector by a day as three key ministers were absent in today's meeting.

The Cabinet also approved changes in another legislation that would make accepting or giving bribe by foreign public officials a criminal offence, entailing imprisonment of up to seven years, among others penal provisions. The revised legislation, if passed by Parliament, will be a stand-alone law to deal with bribery by foreign public officials. Bribery by foreign nationals is not covered under any domestic anti-corruption laws at present.

Officials said the food security Bill and proposals to unshackle the Rs 80,000-crore sugar industry were not discussed as Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister A K Antony and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad were in Chennai to meet Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi, who has threatened to pull out of the United Progressive Alliance coalition on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

Amendments to the food Bill have been suggested after taking into account the recommendations of the Parliamentary standing committee. According to officials, major changes in the revised Bill include doing away with priority and general classifications of beneficiaries and providing uniform allocation of five kg foodgrains (per person) at fixed rates to 67-70 per cent of the country's population.

On sugar decontrol, the food ministry has proposed doing away with the regulated release mechanism and levy sugar system. Under the levy sugar system, mills are required to sell 10 per cent of their output to the Centre at cheaper rates to run ration shops, costing Rs 3,000 crore to the industry annually.

The Cabinet has also approved road projects worth Rs 7,915 crore in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana under its flagship National Highways Development Project. The projects will be built in phases on the build, finance, operate and transfer basis.