Sir — The Congress-led UPA Government’s food security Bill is an attempt to deflect attention from the economic crisis that grips the country. The food security scheme is nothing but an election sop that the ruling regime has handed out to the common man, without going into the practical aspects of the measure. Also, the UPA’s unseemly haste to get the Bill passed in Parliament raises more doubts than draws approval.
In any case, the Bill was completely ill-timed, given the sluggish economy, crumbling rupee and non-existent growth in crucial sectors like agriculture, industry and infrastructure. The Government should concentrate in boosting these sectors rather than launching schemes which will be a drain on the public exchequer. By handing out such doles, the Government is not helping the cause of the people. It should instead enable and empower them to craft a better life for themselves.