The Odisha Government has vehemently opposed the decision of the UPA Government at the Centre to implement the Food Security measure through an Ordinance route.
“If the suggestions of the Odisha Government to ensure food security are not incorporated in the original Bill, we would not support it,” said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Pratap Keshari Deb on Thursday.
Reacting to the decision of the Central Government, he said that since the identification of the beneficiaries is the responsibility of the concerned State Governments, the Odisha Government is not bound to accept the criteria fixed by the Union Government.
“The criteria will not be acceptable if it is not State-specific and does not conform to the suggestions of the Odisha Government,” Deb said.
He said the BJD and other political parties are in favour of a detailed discussion over the Food Security Bill before implementation of its provisions. During the discussion in the Parliament, if the Central Government does not incorporate Odisha’s suggestions, the BJD would oppose the Bill, he said.
He said there are a lot of difficulties in the implementation of the food security measures as envisaged in the Ordinance and it should be streamlined before it is made operational. Before the food security Ordinance is ratified by the President of India, the problems should be sorted out, Deb said.
The Ordinance provides food security to 67 per cent of the 120 crore people of the country, mostly the poor from rural areas.