Sonia's dream bill — food security, up for debate today

In what appears to be a busy day in Parliament, the food security bill, whistleblowers bill and judicial accountability bill will be up for discussion in the House. Food security bill • It will cover 63.5 percent of the total population including 75 percent of the total rural population. Of this number, 46 percent would be priority households. In urban areas of the 50 percent of total population, 28 percent would be priority households. • Priority households would be given 7 kg per person or 35 kg per family of government held grains. Subsidised rates would apply to 1 kg of millets, 2 kg wheat and 3 kg rice. [caption id=“attachment_154852” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  In what appears to be a busy day in Parliament, the food security bill, whistleblowers bill and judicial accountability bill will be up for discussion in the House. Reuters[/caption] • The bill provides for cash benefits to meet nutritional requirements of pregnant women and lactating mothers and children up to 14 years. • The bill is likely to cost Rs 1 lakh crore annually in subsidies. • Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar and Montek Singh Ahluwalia have objected to this bill in a cabinet note. The PM had set up an EGOM on this. But since this is Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s dream bill, the govt had to finally give in to her demands. There are strong indications that the flagship social welfare legislation, whose drafting was overseen by Sonia herself, could be introduced in the ongoing winter session of Parliament. Judicial accountability bill • Judges will have to declare their assets and liabilities, and also that of their spouse and children. • A National Judicial Oversight Committee, Complaints Scrutiny Panel and an investigation committee. Any person can file a complaint against a judge to the Oversight Committee on grounds of misbehaviour. • Motion for removal of judge can be moved in Parliament which will then go to oversight committee. • Complaints and inquiries against judges will be confidential and frivolous complaints will be penalised. • The Oversight Committee may issue advisories or warnings to judges, and also recommend their removal to the president. Whistleblowers bill • Anybody who reveals the identity of the whistleblower would face imprisonment for three years or fine up to Rs 50,000. • Department head to be held liable if whistleblower is revealed. • CVC to have jurisdiction over all ministries, institutions. • A false complaint would make the person liable to punishment with equal amount of imprisonment and fine.