New Delhi: The National Food Security Bill, 2013 passed by the parliament on late Monday gives right to subsidised food grain to 67 percent of India`s 1.2 billion people and provides for penalty for non-compliance by public servants. The bill`s salient features include:
- Seventy five percent of rural and 50 percent of the urban population entitled to five kg foodgrains per month at Rs 3, Rs 2, Re 1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains, respectively.
- The work of identification of eligible households has been left to the states.
- Pregnant women and lactating mothers entitled to nutritious meals and maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000 for six months.
- The central government will provide funds to states in case of short supply of foodgrain.
- The current foodgrain allocation of the states will be protected by the central government.
- The state governments will provide food security allowance to the beneficiaries in case of non-supply of foodgrain.
- Public distribution system to be reformed.
- The eldest woman in the household, 18 years or above, will be the head of the household for the issue of the ration card.
- There will be state and district level redress mechanisms.
IANS
