Food security ordinance a game changer: Cong

Dismissing the talk about early elections, Congress today said the food security measure is a game changer that will provide right to cheap food grains to 82 crore people.

As the party and the government awaited assent of the President to the Ordinance, Congress general secretary Ajay Maken and Food Minister K V Thomas accused the Opposition of blocking the passage of the key bill in the last session of Parliament.

'This may be a life saver, life changer for many people...So delay even by a single minute or day, God knows how many lives it could cost,' Maken, Communication Department Chief of the Congress said, justifying the ordinance when the Monsoon Session of Parliament is not far away.

Maintaining that it will take at least six months for people to feel the impact of the measure and its thorough implementation, party leaders said early elections make no sense.

'The biggest thing for any political party is to fufil the promises it made in its manifesto. People will take into account that Congress fulfils whatever it promises.

'This also reflects the credibility that when we are going to polls in four states, we have also fulfilled a big promise that we had made in our manifesto...This will be a game changer for the poor people,' Maken said.

Thomas allayed apprehensions that there will be bottlenecks in its implementation.

'All parameters have been discussed in detail with states, which have also been given copies of the bill as amended,' Thomas said.

Maken said the Congress was 'not running away from discussion' as both the Ordinance and the amended bill will be brought before Parliament for a thorough discussion.'

Before that there will be all-party consultations to arrive at a consensus, he said.

Brushing aside political opposition, Government had on Wednesday decided to issue the ordinance to give nation's two-third population the right to get 5 kgs of foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.