Emulate Chhattisgarh food security act, says Raman

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Tuesday said the UPA government must rise above all partisan politics and emulate his state's food and nutrition security act if it is really concerned about providing food security to poor.

"The centre should rise above partisan politics and emulate Chhattisgarh Food Security model for betterment of poor in the country," he said while addressing a symposium on National Food Security Act in New Delhi. The symposium was organized by the Centre for Reform, Development and Justice.

The Chhattisgarh CM who is heading the BJP government in the mineral-rich state since December 2003, remarked that food security experts across the country have also advocated for the same.

Speaking on the Chhattisgarh act, the chief minister said there is a feeling of contentment from within as Chhattisgarh has succeeded in reducing the difficulties of poor families by providing subsidized food grains to them.

"In my entire political career, I felt content after enacting Food and Nutrition Security Act which ensures that all poor families have access to food. There is no magical wand that drafted the act on a single day. It is the result of eight years of hard work and meditation," Singh observed.

He said a chief minister should not be at peace until availability of food is ensured to each individual of his state and added that all talks of development are null and void if the citizen of the state in not guaranteed right to food.