With stakes high for the Congress in next month’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the UPA may implement some provisions of the National Food Security Bill through an executive order. Food ministry officials feel the Centre could implement this for BPL and Antyodya cardholders without violating the model code of conduct.
The caveat, however, is that the finance ministry would have to make additional funds available. A government order can enable such cardholders to get foodgrains at the prices proposed in the bill — wheat at `2/kg, rice at `3/kg and millets at `1/kg. But the government will have to bear an extra burden — cardholders now get rice at `7.50/kg and wheat at `5/kg.
Officials feel the model code for the elections will not be a problem as the “policy decision had already been taken by the Cabinet”.
The Food Bill proposed to cover 97.8 million families under “priority households”, including existing BPL and Antyodya cardholders. The food ministry feels this year’s bumper crop record procurement would facilitate this.
The Congress hopes that with a sizeable chunk of BPL families in Uttar Pradesh, this move would turn the political tide in favour of the party in the state.