Punjab CM questions timing of food-for-all ordinance

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday said the hasty move of passing the National Food Safety Scheme as an ordinance by the Congress-led UPA government was aimed at distracting the attention of the countrymen from the various scams and scandals committed by the it.

The chief minister termed the ordinance a cover-up exercise of the UPA. He said he was not opposed to it but the timing indicated the UPA was trying to transform the food scheme into votes in the ensuing general elections. Badal said that besides food the countrymen were also facing a number of other problems but the UPA government had turned a blind eye towards it by adopting the pro-rich and anti-poor stance.

Badal added it was on record that the SAD-BJP government of the state has the distinction of being the maiden state of the country to ensure food security to its residents by starting the Atta-Dal scheme in its previous tenure. He said that Food security ordinance of the UPA was nothing more than a copy of this unique endeavor of the state government.