NEW DELHI, Sept 2:Ushering in the biggest programme in the world to fight hunger, Parliament today gave its nod to the landmark Food Security Bill which seeks to provide highly subsidised foodgrains to the country’s two-third population as a right.
The ambitious bill, seen as a game-changer by the Government and expected to benefit 82 crore people in the country, cleared the Parliamentary process after much delay and uncertainty. It now needs just one more step – Presidential assent – to become a historic law.
The proposed legislation was approved by Rajya Sabha through voice vote after a combined discussion on the measure and a statutory resolution seeking to disapprove the ordinance promulgated on July 5.
All the amendments moved by the opposition to the bill, passed by Lok Sabha last week, were rejected. Some amendments, like the one moved by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal, were withdrawn while some members including BJP’s Venkaiah Naidu and Prakash Javadekar did not press some of their amendments.
The bill was passed after a day-long debate during which the Opposition attacked the government, saying the measure was just repackaging of some existing schemes and a “gimmick” with an eye on elections.
The bill will guarantee 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at Rs 3, 2, 1, respectively.
India will now join the select league of nations that guarantee majority of its population foodgrains. At Rs.1,30,000 crore government support, the food security programme will be the largest in the world. It would require 62 million tonnes of foodgrains.
Wrapping up the debate, Food Minister K V Thomas said he was “not saying it is 100 per cent perfect (scheme)” but it was the “first step” towards universalisation of Public Distribution System.
He allayed apprehensions that the measure would hurt federalism as he said the Centre will bear the major part of the financial burden. “The Centre and the state will have to work hand-in-hand,” he said.
Earlier, Government today came under sharp attack from Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha over fuel price hike with CPI-M, CPI and Trinamool members staging walk-out from the House which saw a brief adjournment due to uproar.
Members including those from BJP attacked the Government over the issue saying making the announcement outside the House amounted to bypassing Parliament when it was in session.
They also ridiculed Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily over his proposal to shut down petrol pumps during night to taper the fuel demand.
Accusing the Government of declaring a war on common man and increasing the miseries of people, the parties demanded roll-back of the decision.
Moily has already clarified that the Government has not made any such proposal and the idea of closing down petrol pumps for night hours had come from public.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Prashanta Chatterjee (CPI-M) said it was unfortunate that petrol and diesel price hike was announced outside Parliament and demanded a rollback of the decision.
“This is the sixth increase in the price of petrol in last three months. Price of diesel is being increased 50 paisa per month. Unable to check fall in value of rupee, UPA Government is resorting to hikes. Government is responsible for increasing the miseries of people,” he said.
Noting that pricing of petrol was decontrolled by UPA Government and “on diesel, they have taken a principle decision”, Chatterjee demanded that the Government should scrap it immediately.
M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) rued that the Government’s “totally anti-people” decision came without taking Parliament into confidence.
Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress) said the Government has declared a war on common man and ridiculed Moily for his “ill-conceived and ill-thought” idea to shut down petrol pumps at night.
Demanding scrapping of the oil price hike, O’Brien and his party colleague Sukhendu Sekhar Roy walked out shouting “down down with this anti-people Government.”
Senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury wanted a discussion on the issue but Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ruled it out asking him to take it up in the Business Advisory Committee meeting.
At this, Yechury accompanied by his party colleagues and some members from CPI walked out of the House saying, “You are not allowing a discussion on it and in between when a discussion is going on, the Government has increased prices of petrol and diesel. So we are walking out.”
Yechury earlier insisted that the Chair should take up a discussion on the issue after Zero Hour saying it is already included in the list of business.
Earlier, when the House met for the day, O’Brien raised the issue of oil price hike saying it should be discussed first as it concerns the people of the country.
Chairman Hamid Ansari then said the issue has been listed for Zero Hour.
But, TMC members supported by some Left members, continued to press for discussion on the issue.
M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) supported him saying besides the fuel price hike, the proposal to shut petrol pumps during night too needs to be discussed.
With members persisting with their demand, Ansari adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
When the House met again, CPI-M leader Chatterjee raised the issue of oil hike in his Zero Hour mention, which was supported by almost the entire Opposition.
Ravishankar Prasad (BJP) said the announcement on oil price hike was done bypassing Parliament when it is in session. He asked the Chair to take note of it.
Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Petroleum Minister’s proposal to shut down petrol pumps at night will create lot of inconvenience to consumers and especially to people in cities like Delhi and Mumbai as these cities never sleep.
He said any such move will encourage blackmarketing and hoarding.
He said the Government should instead of closing down petrol pumps, focus on alternative means like generation of power through wind and solar energy, improving the road condition, encouraging blending of ethanol and plying vehicles with green fuel.
Meanwhile, for the second time this session, four TDP and five Congress members from Andhra Pradesh were today suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining five days for disrupting proceedings on the Telangana issue.
Cracking the whip, Speaker Meira Kumar suspended them for the rest of the Monsoon session which concludes on Friday.
As soon as the House met for the day, TDP members N Kristappa, M Venugopal Reddy, K N Rao and N Sivaprasad walked into the Well to protest against the announcement to form Telangana.
Sivaprasad took out a mask of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and wore it. He raised slogans for a united Andhra Pradesh.
Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh- A Sai Pratap, Anantha Venkatrami Reddy, N Rajagopal, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and K Bapi Raju – also trooped into the Well carrying placards which said “Jai Samaikyaandhra” and “We want united Andhra Pradesh”. They shouted, “We want justice”.
On August 23, 12 members – including these nine MPs – were suspended for five days under the same rule.
When some Congress members were on their feet protesting against Sivaprasad wearing the mask, he removed it.
The House witnessed exchange of words between TDP and Congress MPs.
Speaker Meira Kumar named the nine MPs and suspended them under Rule 374-A for the remaining five days of the monsoon session. “You may forthwith withdraw from the precincts of the House,” she said.
The Speaker then adjourned the House till 2 pm. (PTI)
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