With the Food Security Bill is likely to come up for consideration in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Congress party has issued a whip to its members in the House to be present and vote in favour of the legislation.
A discussion on the Bill in the Lok Sabha began on Tuesday but was scuttled by disruptions over Telangana issue caused by TDP members storming the Well.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who played a key role formulating and taking the Bill to Parliament, is likely to be the first speaker from the Congress in the debate in Lok Sabha on the subject.
Meanwhile, the opposition will move amendments mainly on the lines of the changes publicly demanded by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa.
The United Progressive Alliance's key ally Samajwadi Party (SP) has also opposed the Bill, and said that it is anti-farmer. The UPA Government needs the support of Mulayam Singh Yadav's 22 MPs during the vote.
The National Food Security Bill is a historic initiative for ensuring food and nutritional security to the people. It gives right to the people to receive adequate quantity of foodgrains at affordable prices. The Bill has special focus on nutritional support to poorest of the poor, women and children.
In case of non-supply of foodgrains now people will get Food Security Allowance. The bill provides for grievance redressal mechanism and penalty for non compliance by public servant or authority.
