BJP claims to have plenty to say about Food Security Bill

Deputy Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Ravi Shankar Prasad commented on the Food Security ordinance on Saturday, saying that though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in support of the scheme there are several intricacies of the bill which have to be debated in Parliament before it is passed.

"Surely, we have to say a lot of things. In principle, we are in agreement with this bill. But we have a lot to say. There is a Chattisgarh model, there is the interest of farmers, we have to put in a lot of suggestions and amendments. What is going to happen to the existing public distribution system all over the states? These are issues, including the financial aspect of it," Prasad said

The BJP leader also raised concerns over the estimated trend that the number of beneficiaries from the Food Security Scheme might go down, saying that it is amongst the issues that his party will address when the bill is debated in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that he looks forward to a very constructive and productive Monsoon Session of Parliament, and urged the opposition to cooperate with the government in passing the essential legislative work, including the Food Security Bill.

"We look forward to a very constructive, productive session of Parliament. Lot of time was wasted in previous two or three sessions and there is lot of legislative agenda pending before the Congress, before the Parliament. And I sincerely hope that all sections of the house will cooperate in making it a very productive, very constructive session," Dr. Singh said.

"But all that we expect fully is to ask the opposition to cooperate with the government in passing the essential legislative work, which is the primary responsibility of Parliament. Of all the ordinances, five or six ordinances which are before the Parliament and most important is Food Security Ordinance," said Dr. Singh.

"And I sincerely hope that the Parliament in its wisdom will find it productive, find it justified to convert that Ordinance into a Bill and an act of Parliament," he added.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on August 5.