BJP has created 'hindrances' for food security bill: Congress

Chandigarh: Congress today blamed BJP for “creating hindrances” in implementation the Food Security Ordinance and said giving right to food is not its “political initiative.” “We could have implemented the Food Security Bill two years ago had the opposition parties, especially BJP, behaved responsibly in the Parliament. Moreover, they (BJP) continued changing statements on the bill and also gave wrong suggestions on the bill,” AICC representative Prem Chandra Mishra said here today. [caption id=“attachment_967433” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational photo. Reuters[/caption] Asserting that there was no motive to take political mileage out of the Food Security Ordinance, he said this bill was aimed at providing food to the poor at a cheaper rate. “It (Food Security Bill) is not a political initiate. We only want to provide food to the poor as this bill will cover almost 67 per cent population of the country,” he said. Mishra said the government would give special allowance if in any year, assured foodgrain under the ordinance could not be given to beneficiaries due to famine or drought. Talking about farmers, Mishra said the ordinance will encourage farmers to grow more as there will be a consistent demand for foodgrain from the government for distribution. Asked about the SAD-BJP government’s allegation that the Food Security Ordinance was a “carbon copy” of its Atta-Dal scheme, he said Punjab government should tell how much subsidy the Centre was giving to them for implementing their scheme. PTI