Center to convene conference of state food ministers on July 4

The Center will convene a conference of state food ministers on July 4 in New Delhi to discuss measures to check inflation.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan revealed this here today.

Briefing media, Paswan said that the government has taken a serious note of recent increase in market prices of some of the food articles, and would take stern action, jointly with the state governments, to check all such unreasonable hikes.

He said there are enough stocks of foodgrains and other essential commodities in the country.

He said that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will preside over the conference.

Paswan said that during the proposed conference, action plan for early implementation the Nation Food Security Act will also be discussed.

The National Food Security Act (NFSA) provides for distribution of highly subsidized foodgrains to the poor, but this has so far been implemented, partially or fully, in eleven states only.

Paswan said effective implementation of the Act would protect the poor from the increase in market prices of food articles, especially wheat and rice.

In a letter written to the chief ministers of those states, where NFSA is yet to be implemented, Paswan has requested action for its implementation in next three months.

NFSA entitles every poor person to get at least 5 kg. foodgrains per month at highly subsidized prices.