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The Food Minister, Mr K.V. Thomas, has ruled out the clearance of Food Security Bill in the ongoing budget session of Parliament saying consultations are still on to sort out the problems raised by states and that it can be taken up only in the next monsoon session.
“How can it come in the budget session...Parliamentary Standing Committee is yet to submit its report,” Mr Thomas said on the sidelines of a function of Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry here today.
National Food Security Bill, 2011, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Mr Thomas at the fag end of winter session was expected to come up for discussion and passage in the budget session.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, to which the Bill was referred after introduction, is yet to vet the proposed legislation that promises subsidised food security to over 63 per cent of the country’s population, he said.
Mr Thomas said consultations are on to sort out the problems raised by states on the important legislation and the Bill in all likelihood would come in Parliament for approval in the next monsoon session.
The Minister said he is in regular consultation with the UPA Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on the scheme which is considered as her pet project.
West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and some other states have pointed out to the problems in implementation of the programme.
The Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, has also in the past expressed worry over procurement of foodgrains for the scheme.
Concerns were also raised on the enhanced subsidy bill for implementation of the legislation which will scale it up by an additional Rs 27,663 crore.
Asked about the concerns raised by states, Mr Thomas said some of them have pointed to transportation cost on foodgrains being carted to the PDS shops which is at present put on the consumers.
Besides, issues like adding storage capacity and computerisation of PDS outlets are also being addressed for the smooth execution of proposed Food Act considered as greatest experiment of providing subsidised food to poor, he added.
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