Jharkhand asked not to implement Food Security Act in phases

Ranchi: Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan on Saturday asked Jharkhand government to implement the Food Security Act in all the 24 districts simultaneously by September one.

"Complete everything by August 31 so that the Act can be implemented in all the districts of the state instead of going phase-wise," the Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister said at a meeting here.

Paswan cited the example how phase-wise implementation in Bihar had faced problems.

Paswan's directive came following Jharkhand Food, PDS, Consumer Affairs Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey's request to him to allow the state for phase-wise implementation from July 1 and all districts would be covered by August 31.

Jharkhand Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Saryu Roy and several senior state officials attended the meeting, which was chaired by Paswan.

Later, talking to reporters, Roy said the state would convince the union minister to agree for phase-wise implementation as "we have completed everything in eight of the 24 districts".

Choubey also said the state would once again urge the Centre for phase-wise implementation and cover the rest district by August 31 during a meeting in Delhi.