A change in leadership has changed the stance of the food ministry on the proposed National Food Security Bill.
Till agriculture minister Sharad Pawar held the food portfolio, the ministry used to express reservations on the proposed food security bill citing availability of grains and
the huge cost involved in implementing it. In fact, the food ministry under Mr Pawar had conveyed this to Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council and later to the expert panel set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to examine the financial implications of the NAC’s recommendations on the draft food security bill.
Now, food minister K.V. Thomas is of the opinion that “there is no problem in implementing the draft food security bill”. “The government is committed to implement the National Food Security Bill. Everything needed to roll it out will be done,” said Mr Thomas.
The expert panel headed by C. Rangarajan, chief of PM’s economic advisory council, too had cited limitations related to availability of grains and the huge subsidy involved as bottlenecks in the implementation of the right to food law.
The Rangarajan panel had said that the foodgrain requirement for implementing the NAC recommendation on the food security bill in 2011 will be 68.76 million tonnes against total foodgrain availability of 56.35 million tonnes with the government.
The food minister said at the end of the day the views expressed by the PM’s expert panel are mere suggestions. Further, he said there was no difference between the food ministry’s estimates and that of the NAC on the proposed food security bill.
“We will work to enhance procurement gradually to meet the requirements of the food security bill. The point is we have to fulfil our promise,” said Mr Thomas, adding that the finance ministry will look into the subsidy issue.