Oppn blocks adoption of draft report on Food Bill

Last Updated: Friday, January 11, 2013, 20:14

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Tags: Food Bill, BJP, Opposition

New Delhi: Opposition parties led by BJP on Friday blocked adoption of a draft report of a Parliamentary Panel on the Food Bill because of differences on issues like coverage of poor people and quantity of grains to be supplied.

In the final meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee held today, sources said out of 31 members, about 18 members from Opposition parties like BJP, BSP, AIADMK and Shiv Sena raised objections on various clauses of the draft report.

Keeping in the view the wide-spread opposition, sources said the panel's Chairman Vilasrao Muttemwar asked the members to give their reservation in writing in the next two days as the committee wants to submit the report to Speaker next week.

Sources said the Committee is likely to recommend giving legal right over subsidised foodgrains to 67 per cent of the country's population, which in line with the government's bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011.

The panel would also suggest the Centre to give freedom to state governments to identify the number of beneficiaries.

However, the consensus is yet to be arrived on the quantity of foodgrains to be supplied to beneficiaries. The proposed bill aims to supply 7 kg of foodgrains per person each month to priority households and 3 kg to general households.

Sources said some members demanded that entitlement over subsidised grains should be on the basis of each family instead to an individual as this will benefit large families.

The ambitious bill, which is the pet project of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, aims to give wheat and rice at Rs 2-3 per kg to priority households, while at 50 per cent of the minimum support (MSP) price to general households.

Sources further said some members sought higher allocation of foodgrains under the bill, while the Left parties were against the transfer of cash subsidy.

Under the proposed law, which was promised by the Congress Party in 2009 general election, up to 75 per cent of the rural population and up to 50 per cent of the urban population would be covered.

PTI

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First Published: Friday, January 11, 2013, 20:14

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Petrus - Mumbai
Not many people have made the link between allowing FDI in retail and the direct transfer of cash to the poor. Till now, the poor are given goods (food etc.) instead of money. But if this were to continue, then the poor would of course not buy goods in the foreign supermarkets (to come). So, these supermarkets demanded from the GoI that if this practice (supply of goods instead of money to the poor) is continued, they will not invest in India. Hence, the Congress party hurriedly passed the new bill (direct cash transfer) to satisfy the foreign retail business. Result is that now instead of Indian rice, daal etc given directly to the poor, now these poor will have to buy these items in the foreign supermarkets, which of course will have many imported products. Jai Hind, Jai Kisan or Bhai Hind, bhai Kisan?