The Hindu Business Line : Food security law on the anvil to identify beneficiaries: Minister

The food security law being formulated within the next 100 days would clearly define above-poverty and below-poverty line categories, according to Prof K.V. Thomas, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food and Public Distribution.

Addressing newspersons here, Prof Thomas said the Centre would go ahead with brainstorming sessions for framing the law. The views of State Governments would also be taken into account.

The Minister reiterated the Centre’s commitment to distributing 25 kg of foodgrains to below poverty line families at Rs 3 a kg. This would entail that the beneficiaries are identified within the stipulated time.

Agriculture production will have to be bolstered to meet the demand, the Minister said.

Vigil in coastal areas

The Centre is actively considering a proposal to form a separate Ministry for Fisheries. He had held discussions with the National Security Adviser, Mr M. K. Narayanan, on strengthening vigil in coastal areas.

‘Vigilance committees’ would be formed and fishermen enrolled. Adequate communication equipment would be provided to them as they go venturing into the sea.

A meeting of State Fisheries Ministers would be held in Bhubaneshwar on July 4 and 5 where more discussions would be held on improving the standard of living of fishermen, he said.

RICE QUOTA

The Minister said that the issue over APL (above poverty line) rice quota for the State would be cleared with the formation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee.

He said that the 20 Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in the State were full to 80 per cent of their capacity. The State government had been told not to lift the stock if quality of the grain was suspect, he said.

High court bench

Meanwhile, the Union Minister for State for External Affairs, Dr Shashi Tharoor, told newspersons here that he was working for a constructive solution to the demand for setting up a High Court Bench in Thiruvananthapuram.

The issue would now need to be taken up with the new Union Law Minister and others concerned. Dr Tharoor promised to look into the issue of setting up a CBI court in the State capital as well.

TWIN CITY

A European city, which was five times as big, had already been identified as the ‘Twin City’ for Thiruvananthapuram, the Minister said.

The ‘twin’ status will pave the way for technical cooperation, development of coastal area, improvement of infrastructure as well as facilitate cultural exchange.

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