The government would tread cautiously on the contentious food security bill issue.
Under pressure from newly appointed National Advisory Council chairperson Sonia Gandhi to expand the ambit of the bill, the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) led by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee that met on Monday night, bought more time to reach at a final conclusion.
EGoM decided to get details of similar legislations from 22 nations across the world before giving a final shape to the food law. In a similar vein, it asked the Planning Commission to address the other contentious issue of arriving at a workable number of below poverty line (BPL) families.
Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar told media after the meeting that EGoM had a detailed discussion on various controversial aspects of the bill, including bringing more poor families under its ambit.
EGoM has decided to meet again after three weeks after completing this exercise. This implies that the bill is not likely to be introduced during the second leg of the budget session starting April 15.
The meeting was held amidst reports of serious differences between the UPA government and the Congress. Sonia reportedly had been pressing for a mechanism under which a comprehensive food security net is provided to all the poor.
The draft bill under the EGoM’s consideration had limited its ambit both in terms of the number of BPL families and the quantity of foodgrain to be provided to such families. It had proposed to supply 25 kg wheat/rice per month as against earlier recommendation of 35 kg under various other schemes.
On the controversial issue pertaining to the identification of the BPL families, the EGoM had the onerous task to decide on seven sets of definitions made available to it. To overcome this crisis, EGoM chose the convenient path once again by tossing the ball into the Planning Commission’s court.
Increasing the number of BPL families from the existing 1.68 crore to 6.80 crore — as proposed by the ministry of food and supplies — would result in an increase of 40% subsidy. As a result, the subsidy bill would go up to Rs85,000 crore, ministry sources added.
