 "UPA coordination committee to finalise 'Food Security Bill' today")
The UPA Coordination Committee will meet here today to finalise the Food Security Bill.
The decision was taken on Saturday at the Congress Core Group meet at the Prime Minister's residence.
Meanwhile, UPA Government has an option to get the Food Security bill passed either in a special session of the parliament, or to implement through an ordinance or executive order.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh were present during the meeting.
The National Food Security Bill, 2011, considered to be the world"s largest experiment in ensuring food security to poor, has been a key project of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.Other Union leaders including Ahmed Patel, A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Sushil Kumar Shinde were also present in the meet. Food Minister K V Thomas and Congress Incharge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad were the special invitees for the meet.
It hopes to meet the food needs of 75% of rural households and 50% of urban households. The Bill classifies all entitled households as "general" and "priority".
Also Read
At least 46% of rural households and 28% of urban households would be designated as "priority".
Every person belonging to a "priority household" will be provided with seven kilograms of grain per month, comprising rice, wheat and coarse grain. Rice will be provided at Rs.3, wheat at Rs.2 and coarse grain at Rs.1 per kilogram.
Others belonging to the "general category" would be entitled to not less than three kilogram of grain per month at a rate not exceeding 50% of the minimum support price.