The UPA’s outside supporter, Samajwadi Party on Monday expressed reservation over the present form of the Food Security Bill, claiming that it had been conceived without consultation with the Chief Ministers and that it was being pushed with polls in mind.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav demanded that the Bill be held back for now and a meeting of the Chief Ministers be convened first to discuss the issues concerned in detail. He also demanded the Government to compensate for the additional burden that the proposed legislation was going to put on the State exchequer.
“This Bill is based on assumptions. You do not have an idea about the number of BPl families and you have proposed a law to provide subsidised food to them. How are you going to benefit people when you do not have an idea about the number of target populationIJ” Yadav asked the Government while participating in the lok Sabha debate on the Bill.
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister feared the Bill would take a toll on the resources of States, some of which were already in dire straits. He said the Centre should talk to the Chief Ministers before moving ahead with the Bill.
“How much financial liability will the States have to bear because of this Food Security BillIJ From where will the States generate fundIJ There is no mention about that in the Bill,” he said. Yadav also demanded that farmers get good price for their produce and the Centre bears the cost of transporting the food grains.