Govt committed to bring National Food Security Act: Patil

With food inflation upsetting the common-man's household budget, a concerned government today said it was committed to enacting a law to provide cheaper rice and wheat to the poor.

"My government is committed to bringing forth a legislation to ensure food security," President Pratibha Patil said in her address to the joint sitting of both the houses of Parliament.

The President's address touched on the Congress Party's poll promise in May 2009 to provide 25 kg of rice or wheat at Rs 3 per kg to families 'Below Poverty Line' (BPL).

At present, about four crore BPL card-holders are provided 35 kg of rice or wheat per month at Rs 4.15 per kg and Rs 5.65 per kg respectively. Another two crore poor families are provided foodgrains at a rate lower than this under the 'Antodya Anna Yojana' scheme.

The proposed law would ease the woes of the common man, who is battling near 20 per cent food inflation.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said in his last year's Budget speech in July that the Centre would soon introduce a Bill to enact a Food Security law. He had said a draft bill would be put up in public domain for comments.