Par panel seeks more time to analyse Food Bill

New Delhi: A Parliamentary committee on food, which is studying the National Food Security Bill, has sought more time to analyse and prepare a report on the proposed law that aims to give legal right to cheaper foodgrain to 63.5 percent of the population.

The Food Bill, which is a pet project of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and was part of the promises made in 2009 general elections, was referred to the Parliamentary committee in January. The panel was asked to submit the report by April.

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“We have sought extension of time for preparing a comprehensive report on Food Bill,” the Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Food, Vilasrao Baburaoji Muttemwar, told PTI.

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More time is required to vet the bill as the committee still has not taken the opinion of various state governments.

The panel is also studying more than two lakh letters that it has received from various quarters, he said.

“More discussion is required with states as some state governments are seeking universal public distribution system (PDS),” Muttemwar said.

Besides, many important individuals have expressed desire to share their views before the committee, he added.

Terming the entire process of examining the bill as “complex exercise”, Muttemwar said, “Lot of requirement is there. We have to consider everybody’s view on the bill and it will take time. However, we will try to expedite.”

The committee has so far met twice on 22 February and 2 March, this year, to deliberate on the Food Bill.

Besides the Food Bill, the committee is also reviewing two other bills - Consumer Protection (Amendment) bill and Warehousing Corporation (Amendment) Bill.

PTI