Hyderabad: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday said it would seek amendments to the Food Security Bill to bring 90 percent of the population under its ambit.
"We want food security to be extended to 90 percent of the country`s population and the price of each commodity supplied under the Act should not be (costing) more than Rs 2 a kg," CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said here today.
"The quantity of rice to be given to each family should be 35 kg a month and not 25 kg as proposed," Yechury said, addressing a press conference.
"Unless these amendments are carried out, there will be no meaningful food security," he said, alleging that Congress brought in the Food Security Ordinance in haste only to gain a political mileage.
Pointing out that UPA government was seeking to rush crucial Bills like Food Security, Lokpal, Land Acquisition, Judicial Accountability and Women`s Reservation through the coming monsoon session of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha member said CPM would demand a detailed discussion on important legislations.
"As many as 118 amendments have been moved to the Land Acquisition Bill that was already tabled in Parliament. A Parliamentary Standing Committee proposed a revised Bill incorporating the amendments and we suggested at an all-party meeting that a new Bill be moved."
"Similarly, the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha made certain recommendations with respect to the Lokpal Bill," he said. CPM, Yechuri said, would prioritise four-five bills, like Food Security, Lokpal, Land Acquisition and Women`s Reservation, for detailed debates in the Parliament before their passage.
"It looks like the UPA government is in election mode. It is seeking to enact 64 legislations in the monsoon session itself. Given the political uncertainty, there is a doubt whether there will be another session of Parliament or if the country will go to polls," the CPM leader said.
The UPA government was not ready to commit if there would be the winter session, he added.
Fellow politburo member and CPM`s AP unit secretary BV Raghavulu was also present at the press conference.
PTI
