By IANS,
New Delhi: The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) has finalised its draft of the Food Security Bill, which entitles nearly 75 percent of India’s population to subsidized foodgrains, and will forward it to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon, NAC sources said Wednesday.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the NAC here Wednesday, the sources added.
The bill is viewed as a major step by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to help the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man), hit by steep inflation.
The bill, which will come up before the cabinet soon, is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of parliament beginning Aug 1.
Harsh Mander, NAC member, told reporters that the bill will be a big support to the poor and low-income groups, besides pregnant women and mothers.
According to the bill, two types of households are eligible for discounted grain — “priority households” which are below the poverty line (BPL); and “general households” which consist of lower middle class families.
Households that are in the priority category cover about 40 percent of the total population. These will be entitled every month to 35 kg of foodgrains and will pay Rs.3 per kg for rice, Rs.2 per kg for wheat and Rs.1 per kg for millets.
General households, which constitute the other 30 percent covered under the Food Security Bill, will have the right to 20 kg at a price not exceeding 50 percent of the minimum support price paid to farmers for the three grains.
The NAC meeting also held discussions on the Communal Violence bill, sources said.