|
Centre wants food bill passed, states have
doubts
Wednesday February 13, 2013 11:03:18 PM,
IANS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Delhi: The
Congress-led UPA government Wednesday expressed hopes of passing
the National Food Security Bill in the Budget Session of
parliament starting Feb 21 even as the opposition-ruled states
opposed its provisions at a meeting here.
The food bill is expected to give right to food to around 67
percent of India's 1.2 billion population.
While Tamil Nadu sought exemption from the bill, Bihar, Orissa,
Punjab and Gujarat wanted the government to modernise the public
distribution system (PDS) before implementing the proposed law.
"Except Tamil Nadu, all states have welcomed the bill. Some have
expressed reservation on certain provisions... we cannot satisfy
all states," said K.V. Thomas, union minister of state
(independent charge) of consumer affairs, food and public
distribution.
"We hope to present and pass the bill in the budget session...so
people are ensured of its benefits at the earliest," he said.
Thomas was addressing state food ministers invited to evolve a
consensus on the bill.
The proposed bill, part of the Congress manifesto in the 2009
general elections, is expected to be the flagship legislation of
the United Progressive Alliance (UPA-II) in the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls.
The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011 and sent
to a parliamentary standing committee. The revised bill is being
worked out on the basis of the panel's recommendations, Thomas
said.
While the initial bill had suggested seven kg of foodgrain per
poor person a month with rice, wheat and coarse grains at Rs.3,
Rs.2 and Re.1 per kg, the panel had suggested five kg grain at the
same rate.
Many states expressed differences on the quantity of grains to be
given at subsidised rates under the bill and on who would be the
beneficiaries.
While states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh wanted
universal PDS, Orissa, Kerala and Bihar said the quantity of 5 kg
grain per person per month suggested by the parliamentary panel
was not sufficient.
|
|
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More Headlines |
|
Asaduddin Owaisi visits Khuldabad, says
hopeful of Aurangabad rally |
|
India to have separate drug controller for traditional medicine |
|
Petrol, diesel prices likely to rise this weekend |
|
West Indies women reach ICC World Cup final |
|
Salaried people want tax exemption limit raised to Rs.3 lakh: Survey |
|
Rural employment guarantee scheme may have adverse impact: Study |
|
Nursery admissions not under Right to Education purview, court told |
|
Ex Maldives Pres Nasheed takes sanctuary at Indian High Commission |
|
'Middle East has lost 144 cubic km of water' |
|
India braces for BJP-Congress
electoral battles |
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
 Nasheed
takes sanctuary at Indian High Commission
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed, who once held a cabinet
meeting under water to highlight global warming, took refuge at
the Indian High Commission here
»
No point in Nasheed being at the Indian mission: Minister
Nasheed disappointed with India, says Maldives
ex-foreign minister
Resigned almost at gunpoint, says ousted Maldives President Nasheed
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
Italian chopper deal: India orders probe after CEO's arrest
India
Tuesday ordered a probe into the $750 million deal for 12 VVIP
AgustaWestland helicopters following the arrest of the chief of
its parent company - Italy's Finmeccanica on corruption charges in
the contract. »
Antony seeks report on pay-off in Italian chopper deal
|
|
Why Sir Syed loses and Allama Iqbal wins in Pakistan
For every 19th century Muslim intellectual, including Sir Syed and
the Allama, the outstanding challenge of the time was to
understand the ascendancy of western civilisation and the
apparently
»
|
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
 Global outrage against North Korea nuclear
test
Highly secretive North Korea revealed
Tuesday it had conducted a third nuclear test, drawing condemnation
from around the world and prompting South Korea to put its
»
North Korea conducts third n-test
|
|
As Tripura goes to polls, spotlight on 'poorest CM'
He washes
his clothes every morning, has just over Rs.10,000 in his name and
owns neither house, mobile nor car. Tripura's Manik Sarkar is
probably India's poorest chief minister and that rare politician
whose honesty is
»
|
|
Scientists brace for a close peek at asteroid
Indian scientists will join their counterparts globally for a rare
celestial event scheduled for the night of Feb 15-16 -- the
passing of an asteroid very close to Earth, around 28,000 km away,
and visible with ordinary
»
|
|
 Britain census shows 37% rise in Muslim
population
The exact figure of Muslim immigration
living in Britain has been revealed in new census figures. According
to the census, in the past seven years the number of Muslims living
in the UK has risen
»
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Mughal Garden:
While there are 120 varieties of roses across the 15-acre Mughal
Gardens, this time around the main attraction are the 2,500
dahlias that will certainly grab eyeballs. |
|
|
|
Recommend the story to
your friends |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links