After lengthy debate Rajya Sabha passes Food Security Bill

The much touted National Food Security Bill was today passed in the Rajya Sabha along with amendments after a long debate by the members. It will now be sent to President Pranab Mukherjee for his assent. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill after a nine hour debate on 27 August. There was a slight delay in the voting because of an error by Treasury benches during the voting on the Ordinance on Food Security, which held up proceedings of Rajya Sabha for some time. [caption id=“attachment_1079931” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rajya Sabha in action. PTI[/caption] The problem began when Chairman Hamid Ansari called for a voice vote on statutory resolution moved by Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley disapproving of the ordinance on the Food Security issued on 5 July. Members from the Treasury benches who were supposed to say ‘nos’ inadvertently said ‘ayes’. However, they immediately realised their mistake and said a resounding no, when the Chair again put the question to them. However Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said that since members from both Treasury as well as the Opposition benches have already said ‘ayes’ during the voice vote, the Opposition resolution that seeks to disapprove the ordinance got the majority. At this, Ansari said that the only solution to the situation is to seek a division. The Opposition, earlier in the day, termed the legislation as a “gimmick” with an eye on elections and accusing the government of violating constitutional norms by issuing an ordinance when the Parliament session was less than a month away. While supporting the Food Security Bill, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said it was “repackaging” of various existing schemes like PDS, mid-day meal and ICDS and there was nothing new in it. Speaking on a statutory resolution for disapproval of the Food Security Ordinance, Jaitley who was joined by CPI-M, CPI and AIADMK in moving it, said it was issued in a hurry and less than a month of beginning of Parliament session. Questioning the hurry in issuing the Food Ordinance, he said, “At best, it could be aimed at reaping political benefits.” Terming it as a “repackaging” of existing food schemes, Jaitley said the total amount of subsidy provided under various food schemes like PDS, ICDS and Mid-Day meal scheme was Rs 1,24,844 crore and that provided in the Food Security Bill was Rs 1,25,000 crore. His party colleague Venakaiah Naidu said the Bill was a “gimmick” by the government as elections were a few months away and there would be no benefit for the people. “For four and a half years you never thought of this. Suddenly a few months before the elections you are rushing through this Bill… you suddenly bring it before elections,” Naidu said. The bill proposes subsidised food grain for up to 75 percent of the rural and up to 50 percent of the urban population. It proposes meal entitlement to specific groups. Eligible households would get five kg of food grain per person every month at Rs 3 per kilo of rice, Rs 2 per kilo of wheat and Rs 1 per kilo of coarse grains. With agency inputs