Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: With an eye on next year General Elections, the government is likely to bring in an ordinance on Food Security Bill at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, reports said.
The government prefers an ordinance instead of bringing a Bill in Parliament as it is facing severe criticism from all sectors that it is not serious in implementing the flagship programme.
Earlier, the government was mulling holding a special session of Parliament so that the bill could be passed by political consensus. Whether the government will opt for the same or go for an ordinance will be clear today.
Amid talk of a special session of Parliament on the Food Security Bill, government on Monday had said all options are open on the issue.
The remarks of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath assume significance as they came after a meeting of the UPA Co-ordination Committee called by Congress to elicit views of the allies on the key issue.
According to reports, the Congress-led UPA government is keen on reaching a consensus on the issue by taking the allies as well as the BJP-led opposition on board.
Pointing out that BJP is in favour of passing the Food Bill with some amendments, party chief Rajnath Singh yesterday asked the government to advance the Monsoon Session of Parliament for the purpose.
"We are ready for a debate on Food Security and Land Acquisition bills. We want these bills passed with some amendments. The monsoon session be advanced for this," he told reporters in Hyderabad.
The proposed Food Bill, which is a pet project of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, is aimed at giving legal rights to 67 percent of the population over a uniform quantity of 5 kg foodgrains at a fixed price of Rs 1-3 per kg through ration shops.
The bill could not be passed in the Budget Session that came to an end last month due to disruptions.
