(REOPENS CAL 10)

It sought setting up of an independent BPL Commission for identification of beneficiaries of the Food bill, considered as world's largest experiment in providing food security to poor. There has been glaring discrepancy in the number of beneficiaries eligible for subsidised food between the Centre and the Bihar government. While the Centre allocates foodgrains for distribution under PDS for 65 lakh people, the actual count of beneficiaries of the state government runs to around 1.70 crore. The state government is providing subsidised food to those left out from the Centre's dole from its own fund. Rajak suggested that direct cash transfer would save huge cost incurred on improvement of Targetted Public Distribution System. He pointed out that there should be an Independent authority to fix responsibility of the Centre and the state regarding implementation of the legislation. The CM had raised these several issues on Food Bill in his letter to the PM. He had demanded that the Centre should bear the entire cost of the scheme and set up an independent BPL commission to identify genuine beneficiaries. The Food Bill is a pet project of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and considered a 'game changer' for UPA in the 2014 general elections.