CM flays Oppn for scuttling consideration of Food Bill

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today lambasted the Opposition parties for scuttling consideration of the much-touted Food Security Bill in Parliament, terming their disruptions as "unreasonable" and reflection of their "petty mindedness".
Dikshit's comments came after UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi rolled out the Food Security Scheme here, billed as a "game changer" in the next Lok Sabha polls.
"I think the disruptions are unreasonable and showed the petty mindedness of these political parties which want to make everything as part of their political agenda even if the issue concerns the poorest of the poor," Dikshit told reporters.
The Food security bill was to be taken up today for consideration in Parliament but it could not happen as the Opposition disrupted the proceedings on the issue of the missing files of coal block allocation scam.

Asked about criticism for unveiling the scheme without approval to the Bill by Parliament, the Chief Minister referred to the Ordinance issued by the Centre last month for implementation of the programme.
"We have launched the scheme under the Ordinance. There is nothing wrong in launching the scheme," she said.

Dikshit said Congress was determined to remove hunger from the country and that is why UPA government has come out with the scheme.
"The Congress is determined to rid the country of hunger. The Public Distribution System has been going on for decades. There has been deficiencies and corruption in it. That is why the Food Security bill has been brought," she said.

The Chief Minister said Delhi Aadhar-based smart cards are being issued to beneficiaries of the scheme so that only genuine people get the food grains.
Dikshit said Delhi government will provide benefits under the scheme to 73.5 lakh people in the city out of the total population of 1.68 crore.
"We will cover all the 73 lakh beneficiaries by December-January," she said.
Facing election in November, the Chief Minister has already asked all Congress MLAs and councillors to help eligible people get benefits under the scheme as well as publicise it effectively.
32 lakh people from 5.10 lakh families will be included under the scheme in the first phase. Food grains to the beneficiary families will be given through their senior most female members.

All BPL families, Above Poverty Line (APL) card holders and Jhughi Ration Card (JRC) holders and beneficiaries under Antodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) will be included in the first phase.
The city government has also decided to include homeless people, daily wage-earners, rag-pickers, people living in resettlement colonies and slum clusters in the first phase of implementation of the scheme.
No income tax payers, vehicle and house owners will be included under the scheme in the first phase, officials said, adding that the second and final phase of implementation of the scheme will be launched in February next year.
Under the scheme, two-third population of the country will have the right to get 5kg foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.

The per kg price of rice will be Rs 3 while wheat and coarse cereals will be given at Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg, respectively, under the programme.