Congress issues whip to MPs to attend Food Bill debate in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday issued whip to party MPs to be present in the Lok Sabha during debate on Food Security Bill on Wednesday. The Bill was introduced in Parliament by Food Minister KV Thomas on August 7 to replace the an ordinance passed by the Cabinet in July 2013.

Agriculture Minister and Congress's ally NCP chief Sharad Pawar supported the bill but is reportedly against some of the clauses. But he has said that he was open to discussion on the bill and will support it.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party had said in principle, the party supports the bill but want some amendments in it. Other parties also wanted some amendments in the bill.

The Food Security Bill is the UPA's flagship scheme and is believed to be crucial for the party's electoral fortunes in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The bill will legally entitle 67 per cent of the population of 5 kilograms per person rice, wheat and millets at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 respectively. Poorest of the poor families will continue to receive 35 kilograms per household per month. Under the bill, pregnant and lactating women will get additional Rs 6000. Children between 6 months and 14 years will be entitled to free ration, hot cooked meal.

According to the bill, the existing allocations to states will be protected. The estimated annual food grain requirement is 612.3 lakh tonnes and total expenditure is Rs 1,24,724 crores. The state governments are free to frame their own criteria or use the SECC to identify beneficiaries.

When the Food Bill will come up for discussion and voting in the Lok Sabha, Opposition parties will move amendments basically seeking to improve upon the government's bill. The BJP will push for features of the Chhattisgarh model, that is, increase in the quantity of entitlement, further widen the coverage, and include a nutritional component.

The CPM wants universal entitlement. It also wants sugar, cooking oil and pulses to be included. The BJD will push for household entitlement, more coverage under Antodaya yojana. The Samajwadi Party wants an assured income for farmers, the DMK and AIADMK want their existing allocations to be protected and freedom to implement their schemes and the CPI also wants universal entitlement and fair and remunerative price for farmers.