Legislature experts cite rules, precedence to back ordinance route even if bill is pending in Parliament

The government is exploring options of issuing an ordinance on the food security scheme. Union Food Minister KV Thomas told ET, constitutional and legal aspects of bringing about an ordinance were being considered. An ordinance will help the legal framework for implementing the food security scheme to be in place even before Parliament passes the legislation.

Bill represents a shift from welfare-based approach to a rights-based one:Food Minister

Amid the Opposition uproar in the Lok Sabha over allegations of corruption in the UPA government, the National Food Security Bill was taken up for consideration on Monday. When, after frequent disruptions, the House reassembled at 3 p.m., Girija Vyas, who was in the Chair, announced that the House would take up for further consideration the motion moved by Food Minister K.V. Thomas on May 2.

The practice is passing bills after discussion. Let’s see what can be worked out: Sandeep Dikshit

The government on Thursday tabled the food guarantee bill in the Lok Sabha, amid ruckus created by the Opposition which has prevented the functioning of Parliament demanding the resignation of the prime minister. Food minister KV Thomas, who piloted the bill, and other government leaders conceded the passage of the bill would be difficult in the face of the logjam, but there was expectation in Congress that it could give the party a talking point.

Likely in Parliament this week; FoodMin draft accepted without changes; CCEA defers decision on levy sugar

The Union Cabinet today cleared the revised and much-discussed National Food Security Bill (NFSB), paving the way for its introduction in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament. If enacted, this would provide a legal entitlement for cheap grain to about two-thirds of India’s population, at five kg monthly for each person. Rice will be provided at a uniform Rs 3 a kg (market price over Rs 20 a kg), wheat at Rs 2 a kg (market price Rs 16 a kg) and coarse cereals at Re 1 a kg.

The revised national food security Bill will be taken up by the Cabinet in a special meeting on Monday. Under the Bill, the subsidised price of the foodgrains to the defined sections of beneficiaries would be fixed for three years, rather than one year as proposed initially.

Despite a parliamentary panel opposing it, the Bill would seek to continue with the policy of providing highly subsidised foodgrains to poorest of the poor BPL families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY).

As the Congress-led Centre braces itself for its ambitious National Food Security Bill whose revised version is slated to be placed during this Parliament session between March 19 and 21, activists of the Right to Food Campaign have announced a fresh round of demonstrations to push for universal comprehensive food security with entitlements of food grains, oils and pulses.

Rejecting the latest draft, which according to the Union Food Minister, K.V. Thomas, has been prepared after more than 252-odd amendments, they described it as "piecemeal, diluted and minimalistic" and one that will lead to a lot of poor slipping from the gaps.

The Centre proposes to move at least 250 amendments to the National Food Security Bill when it is tabled in Parliament during the current Budget session.

The Bill, which seeks to give subsidised foodgrains to identified beneficiaries, will take into consideration the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food. Disclosing this, Right to Food activists said that during their meeting with the Minister of State for Food K.V. Thomas, they were given the assurance that the 2.5 crore Antyodaya Anna Yojana beneficiaries will continue to get 35 kg of concessional foodgrains.

Emphasising that the money involved in giving food subsidy should be treated as high priority, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday said the subsidy should not be linked with fiscal deficit.

“The money involved in food subsidy can be treated as high priority and should not be linked with fiscal deficit. The food subsidy bill can be met. I see no merit in subsidising diesel. We can't subsidise petrol and fertilizers and these are the subsidies that we need to get rid of,” Ahluwalia said at a panel discussion at IIT, Delhi.

Current grains allocation, AAY entitlement will be protected under the Bill, he assures States

Responding to concerns expressed by several States on a possible cut in food grains allocation under the National Food Security Bill, the Centre on Thursday gave an assurance that the current allocation will be protected and so will the Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) entitlement for the poorest of the poor. The Bill, Minister of State for Food K.V. Thomas said, would be reworked to make it “practical” and “acceptable.” It was proposed to be presented in the budget session of Parliament.

State governments are raising objections about the coverage under the proposed Food Security Bill, saying that covering 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of urban as advocated by both the draft Bill and the Standing Committee of Parliament is unacceptable.

“The Centre is saying that the proposed food Bill will ensure food for all. But in reality, this is not the case,” West Bengal Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick said. He said the Centre should instead cover all sections of the population under the Bill and there should not be any provision for cash transfers under the Bill.