Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the head of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Food, has approved key changes in the proposed National Food Security Bill and the revised draft will be placed before Cabinet soon.
"Yesterday evening, the Finance Minister has given final clearance to the draft Food Bill. It will be soon placed before Cabinet," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
The key changes proposed in the Bill have been approved and the Cabinet note will be circulated for inter-ministerial comments today, he added.
Earlier, in July, the EGoM on Food had cleared the draft National Food Security Bill, which seeks to provide a legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrains to 75% of the country's rural population and 50% of urban India.
After consultation with concerned stakeholders and the state governments, the Food Ministry proposed several key changes in the draft Bill and those have been approved by the Finance Minister, Thomas told PTI separately.
The two major changes include: keeping an option open for supplying more than 3 kg of subsidised foodgrains to general households and widening its reach to include lactating women, destitute and aged people and providing nutritious food to children, he said.
"The cash-handout of Rs 1,000 per month for six months to lactating women would be extended to the entire country instead of 52 districts," he added.