Cabinet defers decision on draft Food Security Bill

"The discussion on the Food Bill remained inconclusive. We are trying our best to introduce the Bill in this session," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters here after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. According to sources, the National Food Security Bill got deferred due to paucity of time as there were a number of items on the agenda for today`s Cabinet meeting.

The Prime Minister wanted to hear the views of all the ministers before taking a final decision on the Bill, they said, adding the next meeting could be held on December 18. In the proposed law, beneficiaries have been divided into priority households and the general households. Priority households are the same as the families under the below poverty line in the existing public distribution system, while general households above poverty line families.

In rural area, up to 75 per cent of the people will be covered, with at least 46 per cent under priority households. In urban centres, up to 50 per cent of people will be covered, of which 28 per cent are under priority category. The bill seeks to provide 7 kg of rice and wheat to per person per month to priority households at Rs 3 and Rs 2 per kg, respectively. Persons under the general households would get at least 3kg at 50 per cent of the minimum support price.