By IANS,
New Delhi : Expressing hope of getting the support of all political parties on the National Food Security Bill, Food Minister K.V. Thomas Thursday said the legislation is not aimed at winning the next general elections but is for the people’s benefit.
“I would like to emphasise that the food security bill is not a political issue. The bill is not something that UPA government wants to implement to get again elected in the coming general elections. This is an issue of every political party,” Thomas said at an event here.
Expressing confidence that the bill, which aims to provide entitlement to subsidised foodgrains to 65 percent of India’s 1.2 billion population, will get support from all stakeholders and political parties, he said the government hopes to get it passed in parliament’s monsoon session in July-August and begin implementation by the year-end.
Stressing the government is trying to address starvation and malnutrition issues through the bill, Thomas said it was “open to reasonable and practical” suggestions” on the legislation.
He assured that a much more “liberal view” would be taken on poverty figures, which would form the basis for deciding number of beneficiaries under the right to food law.
The bill expected to cost the government Rs.1.12 lakh crore based on the 2011 census data, he said.
Part of the Congress manifesto in 2009 Lok Sabha polls and a dream project of party chief Soni Gandhi, the bill is presently before a parliamentary standing committee.