Cabinet okays food ordinance
Not confident of securing support in Parliament, the UPA government on Wednesday decided to opt for the ordinance route to bring into force the National Food Security Bill, that seeks to cover two-thirds of country’s population and will cost the exchequer up to `1,25,000 crore a year. Though the Parliament’s Monsoon Session is due to begin soon, the government hurried through the ordinance in a bid to cash in on the issue in the crucial state elections in October-November in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi.
The renewed push came after the Cabinet, at its June 13 meeting, deferred a decision on an ordinance and tasked parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath and minister of state for food and consumer affairs K.V. Thomas to build a political consensus. Mr Nath didn’t hold any meetings, but Mr Thomas met agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, seen as the measure’s chief opponent, on Wednesday morning.
The government may send the proposed ordinance to President Pranab Mukherjee for approval on Thursday.
While Congress-ruled states are likely to roll out the scheme soon, other states might take up to six months at least to put in place the necessary infrastructure, a senior official said.
The Union government has decided to continue with the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme, which covers about 2.43 crore poorest of the poor families under the Public Distribution System under which the beneficiaries are entitled to get 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month.
Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP slammed the Centre’s decision to bring an Ordinance on Food Bill, calling it an “election gimmick”, The BJP also accused Congress of running away from a debate on the crucial issue in Parliament.
“Congress is not interested in having a debate because many facts or many gaps in this Bill will be highlighted by all political parties and their own lack of clarity, their own lack of preparedness in presenting a comprehensive welldrafted bill will come out,” BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman said.