Food Act to be implemented by March: Paswan

Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday said the national food Act would cover the entire country by March 2016.

So far, around 25 states are implementing the Act, while the rest would join by March this year. Paswan was addressing the press on the completion of a year. 

The food Act provides legal entitlement for cheap grains to almost 63 per cent of the Indian population. Paswan said sugarcane arrears had also come down to Rs 2,700 crore from Rs 21,000 crore a year ago. 

Pulses’ production is not expected to rise much from 17.3 million tonnes last year. The Food Corporation of India has purchased over 15,000 tonnes of pulses for buffer. Already, 4.4 million tonnes of pulses have been imported so far this year, to tide over shortage.