Govt. likely to bring ordinance on food security at Cabinet meet today

The Central Government is likely to bring an ordinance on Food Security Bill at the Cabinet meet today.

According to television reports, the government has spoken to all the allies on the proposal.

Amid talk of a special session of Parliament on the Food Security Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath on Monday said that all options are open on the issue.

"All the options on the Food Security Bill on how to go ahead with it are still open. We will be considering that further in the days to come," Kamal Nath told reporters after the UPA Co-ordination Committee meeting here last evening.

He, however, said no discussions were held on the proposed Food bill which is a pet project of Congress President Sonia Gandhi aimed at giving legal rights to 67 percent of the population over a uniform quantity of 5 kg foodgrains at a fixed price of Rs 1-3 per kg through ration shops.

However, key UPA ally Samajwadi Party on Monday joined Left parties in expressing reservation over the food security bill, alleging it is anti-farmer and will deprive them from getting their proper dues.

"The day the bill is implemented, farmers will not get proper dues for their produce," SP leader Naresh Agarwal said.

The National Food Security Bill, 2011, considered to be the world's largest experiment in ensuring food security to poor, has been a key project of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

It hopes to meet the food needs of 75 percent of rural households and 50 percent of urban households. The Bill classifies all entitled households as "general" and "priority".

At least 46 percent of rural households and 28 percent of urban households would be designated as "priority".

Every person belonging to a "priority household" will be provided with seven kilograms of grain per month, comprising rice, wheat and coarse grain. Rice will be provided at Rs.3, wheat at Rs.2 and coarse grain at Rs.1 per kilogram.

Others belonging to the "general category" would be entitled to not less than three kilogram of grain per month at a rate not exceeding 50 percent of the minimum support price.