New Delhi: Food Minister K V Thomas on Saturday met
Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and
apprised her of the progress made in the proposed National
Food Security Bill, sources said.
This is the first meeting of Thomas with the UPA
chairperson after her return from abroad after surgery.
"The minister briefed her the progress made in the
proposed Food Bill and informed her that the draft Bill has
been circulated to all chief ministers for comments,"
according to highly placed sources.
Thomas also apprised her of various other initiatives his
ministry is taking in areas such as augmentation of storage
capacity under various schemes including the Private
Entrepreneur Guarantee scheme.
He also briefed her on the efforts being made to ensure
prompt and uninterrupted supply of foodgrains to remote areas,
especially in the northeastern states. The ministry is also
working on creating awareness against food wastages.
The draft National Food Security Bill seeks to provide
legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrains to 75 per cent of
the country`s rural population, and 50 per cent in urban
India.
Under the proposed Act, which Congress had promised to
institutionalise in its manifesto for the 2009 General
Elections, the government has divided the beneficiaries of the
food security law into two categories.
These are: priority households (below poverty line
families) and general households (above poverty line
families).
PTI
