NEW DELHI, Jan 24:
Apprehensive of the Modi Government’s move for ‘killing the purpose and intent and the soul and spirit of the Food Security Act’ enacted under the previous UPA regime, the Congress today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make his stand clear on this vital law. “Pursuant to its defiant-business-centric decision to deny to the people due benefit of fall in crude oil prices globally, the Modi Government is now proposing to cruelly deprive two third of Indians the right to food that was extended to them by the previous Congress Government through the Food Security Act,” party spokesman Randeep Surjewala told a news conference at the party headquarters here.
Mr Surjewala said, “Our apprehensions are in the wake of the report submitted by the Shanta Kumar Committee constituted by the Prime Minister to examine the Act and reconstitution of the Food Corporation of India.
“We have reasons to believe that the panel had recommended in the report ‘amending and killing’ the purpose and intent of the Act.”
This was a legislation that was passed unanimously in the House under the previous regime. But Mr Kumar, also a BJP leader, discounted it as ‘Vote Security Act’ instead of Food Security Act, he pointed out.
Mr Kumar made more shocking statement saying the BJP did not oppose the Bill in 2013 as it feared an adverse reaction during the general elections, the Congress spokesperson said. This hints clearly at the Government’s move to deny the right to food to 27 per cent population of India, that too only in the greed of saving subsidy of Rs 30,000 crore on this head, the sitting MLA and former Haryana Minister said. Some recommendations by the Committee also put a question mark on the utility of grain storage facilities, fate of the food grain procurement and system of minimum support price, the Congress leader said.
“It also threatens provision of grant of bonus to State Governments on procured crops over MSP. “In view of the above apprehensions the Congress demands the Prime Minister and the government to make clear the intent and stand in respect of the Food Security Act and to set a deadline for enacting the Act in all States,” Mr Surjewala said. “Presently, this Act is in force in only nine states and two Union Territories” he added. (UNI)
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