Food bill encounters many state-level objections

The food security bill proposed by the United Progressive Alliance looks further than ever from being enacted in the upcoming budget session of Parliament, as states have objected to many of the bill's proposals at a conference of food and agriculture ministers, which ended on Thursday.

Food minister K V Thomas told reporters after the conference that his ministry would analyse all suggestions before referring the bill to a standing committee of Parliament.

The ministry has also decided to hold separate discussions with all states to find a way to properly implement the food security bill, Thomas said.

The government finds itself in a Catch-22 bind over the Food Security Bill, which proposes to provide cheap grains to 63 per cent of the population, comprising 75 per cent in rural areas and 50 per cent of the urban population.

One of the chief objections of the states, including Congress-controlled ones, is that the Planning Commission has set the threshold for those who can receive subsidised grains too low. Many left-leaning economists agree that the definition of below poverty line (BPL) families needs to be widened.

On the other hand, more pragmatic economists wonder where the money is to come from to implement the food-for-all programme, said to be a pet project of Congress and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi.