New Delhi: Trinamool Congress member Dinesh
Trivedi on Monday criticised the provisions of the National Food Security Bill and suggested certain amendments to provide more food to the poor and needy and help make the legislation "progressive".
Participating in the debate in Lok Sabha on the Food Security Bill, he lamented that the legislation sought to reduce entitlement of foodgrains of families living below poverty line from the existing 35 kg to 25 kg per household per month.
He said studies show that a household consisting of two adults and as many children requires 50 kg of foodgrains per month and thus no reduction in the quantity of food should be made to the poor.
Trivedi said the objective of ensuring "access to adequate quantity of quality food" cannot be met with the proposed legislation.
"The gravest injustice that this legislation does is to children`s right to food," he said, adding that by including just the supplementary nutrition component and not other five services of the ICDS under the rights framework is "a half-hearted attempt" to stall the inclusion of this crucial programme under the Bill.
Drawing his attention on the `force majeure section (52) of the NFSB 2011`, Trviedi said, "This clause is akin to a government stating that it is willing to provide medicines to everyone, except when they fall ill!".
PTI
