Lok Sabha passes Food Security Bill

Sonia terms Bill a fulfilment of her party’s promise to wipe out hunger and malnutrition

The Lok Sabha on Monday literally burnt the midnight oil to pass the ambitious National Food Security Bill, 2013, that seeks to provide highly subsidised food grains to nearly 70 per cent of the population of the country.

Dubbed as a “game-changer,” the flagship measure of the UPA government will give a legal entitlement to 67 per cent population (75 per cent rural and 50 per cent urban) for getting subsidised grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). A beneficiary will be entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Re. 1 per kg a month and will be identified by the States based on parameters prescribed by the Union government.

The government had promulgated an Ordinance to this effect in July which had to be replaced by the Bill in the current Monsoon session of Parliament to make it a law. The Lok Sabha was sitting to deliberate on a number of amendments that were moved by several members after a six-hour long debate. There were some anxious moments for the treasury benches when an amendment to Clause 8 of the Bill, moved by the Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, created confusion and was believed to have gone through as the Speaker Meira Kumar announced the result of the division.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath suggested a revote on it to which Ms. Swaraj agreed, saving the government from embarrassment. Her amendment was negated as the result of the division showed 252 Ayes and 141 Nays with the total number being at 393. The lengthy process of going through a volley of amendments to the Bill and subsequent division, demanded by many members, took more than three hours. 

In a rare speech in the Lok Sabha, Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the measure as a “big message” about India’s capability to take responsibility for the food security of all its citizens. She said the Bill would fulfil her party’s promise to “wipe out hunger and malnutrition.” However, the Opposition saw it as a “political gimmick” as general elections are due next year. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi termed it as a “vote security” Bill while Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav wanted the Bill to be put in abeyance and the proposed legislation discussed with the State Chief Ministers.

Union Food Minister K. V. Thomas assured the Lok Sabha that loopholes in the National Food Security Bill would be plugged. Asserting that the Centre would protect the federal system, he said that the Centre and the States would “go hand in hand” in implementing the measure. Brushing aside claims that the government had not had enough consultations on the legislation, he said: “There was no dearth of consultation ever since the original bill was drafted last year and it was sent to the Standing Committee.” He said the Government had accepted all the recommendations of the Standing Committee barring one on universalisation of the scheme.

The Minister said that the offtake of States for ongoing schemes like Targeted PDS and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) would be protected and the additional burden on account of the implementation of Food Security Bill would be to the tune of Rs. 5000 crores.

On modernisation and computerisation of PDS by the States, he said the Centre would bear 50 per cent of the cost incurred by the States but in the case of the North-Eastern States and Jammu and Kashmir the Centre would bear 90 per cent of the cost. 

He also assured the House that the MSP would be protected and foodgrains coming to mandis would be taken over by the Food Corporation of India. Seeking to bring all parties on board, he said that food grain supplies to the States would not be reduced with the implementation of the Food Security Bill. His reference was to Tamil Nadu as the AIADMK had raised concerns that the Bill would result in reduced supplies.