New Delhi: The government today said it
plans to implement the National Food Security Bill by the end
of this year.
"We intend to implement the Food Security Bill by end of
December, 2012," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters on
sidelines of an event organised by YES Bank and The Hindu
Business Line.
He said as per the projections of the Agriculture
Ministry, the government has enough foodgrains to meet the
requirements of Food Bill as well as exports till 2014.
The National Food Security Bill was introduced in the Lok
Sabha in December, and it is being vetted by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee.
The ambitious food security programme of the UPA
government aims to provide legal entitlement over subsidised
foodgrains to 63.5 per cent of the country's population.
Once the new food laws are implemented, Thomas said, "The
subsidy bill will go up to Rs 1.12 lakh crore. The government
has capacity to absorb additional subsidy of Rs 3,000-4,000
crore".
For the current fiscal, the food subsidy is estimated to
be around Rs 88,000 crore, which will go up to Rs 1.09 lakh
crore with revision in 2000 census and 1993-94 poverty line
estimates, he said.
Foodgrain requirement under the Food Security Bill is
estimated at 63 million tonne.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 13:26