SP may back food bill provided amendments are accepted

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party today said it will support the Food Security Bill in Parliament if the amendments, including giving due price to farmers and changing the definition of those below the poverty line (BPL), suggested by it, are accepted.

“We have made certain suggestions like farmers should get 100 percent guaranteed price for their crop. We also want the definition of BPL to be changed so that more poor people are included. Free grains should be provided to the poorest,” Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Aggarwal told reporters outside Parliament House.

He maintained that if these amendments are accepted, then Samajwadi Party will support the Bill.

The Bill is likely to come up for discussion and passage in Lok Sabha today.

Meanwhile, BJP maintained that Congress is not serious about passing the Bill as its own members are disturbing the proceedings on Telangana issue. “The proceedings were wasted for a whole week by Congress MPs. This is part of a deliberate design of Congress. On the Telangana issue, they want to have the cake and eat it too,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

The main opposition has said it will support the Bill provided its amendments are accepted. It has cited the Chhattisgarh Food Security Act as a model legislation on which the Centre should frame its Bill.

PTI