The much-hyped National Food Security Bill of the UPA Government was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday after detailed deliberations and much confusion.
The Rajya Sabha cleared it on Monday night after 237 amendments tabled by Opposition parties were rejected or not pursued.
The House sat till late in the night to vote on the Bill, including numerous amendments moved by the Opposition, but ultimately passed Congress President Sonia Gandhi's game changer dream scheme.
The Bill that was already passed by the lok Sabha, will replace an Ordinance earlier promulgated by the Government. It will provide highly-subsidised food grains — rice at Rs3 per kg, wheat at Rs2 per kg and coarse grain at Rs1 per kg — to 67 per cent of the population of the country.
Terming the Bill as a “gimmick” with an eye on elections, the Opposition moved a statutory resolution charging the Government with violating constitutional norms by issuing an Ordinance when the Parliament session was just a month away. However, the resolution moved by leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley was defeated by 26 votes as 92 members supported it while118 rejected it.
Embarrassingly for the Government, there was a faux pas as initially the Treasury Benches also said 'aye' along with the Opposition following which the BJP claimed that the resolution has been adopted. However, Chairman Hamid Ansari suggested division of votes to clarify the situation which was conducted, but a technical snag led to voting being done once again.
While supporting the Food Bill, BJP said it was just “repackaging” of existing welfare schemes like Mid-Day Meal Scheme and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Government should show a “large heart” in allowing States to continue with successful food distribution at subsidised rates. Jaitley gave the example of Chhattisgarh which was providing nutritional food at prices lower than those proposed in the Bill.
Accusing the Government of “misusing the right” of bringing an Ordinance, Jaitley said: “An Ordinance is brought if there is a matter of utmost urgency and it can't await the Session of Parliament...What would have happened in 30 days that we couldn't waitIJ”
Questioning the hurry, he then said: “At best, it could be aimed at reaping political benefits” adding there was no lawful valid ground for bringing the Ordinance. The Ordinance was issued on July 5, but guidelines of the scheme are yet to be framed, Jaitley pointed out and wondered as to what the Government wanted to achieve in these 30 days except score political points by symbolic start of the scheme in select States.
The total amount of subsidy provided under various food schemes like Public Distribution Scheme (PDS), ICDS and Mid-Day Meal Scheme is Rs 1,24,844 crore as compared to Rs 1,25,000 crore in the Food Security Bill, he pointed out.
BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said that the Government had never thought about the Bill in the last four-and-a-half years and suddenly, just a few months before elections it is rushing the Bill just as a gimmick. There will be no benefit for the people instead many States like Gujarat will be hit.
Accusing the Government of attacking the federal structure by not consulting States, he said that States have limited finances and would face the wrath of the people for any lacunae in implementation of the legislation.
Naidu sought to know what measures the Centre was taking to sustain agriculture and protect the interests of farmers. He asked the Centre to follow the Chhattisgarh model and give freedom to States to implement their own schemes.
Highlighting the prevailing economic crisis and high inflation which is causing so much distress to people, he said: “Food Bill will not give you good will but be big bill. Adhaar se janadhar nahin badhega chala jayega (Adhaar will not increase your base but shrink it). Direct Benefit Transfer will not result in transfer of votes, but transfer of regime as people are angry and impatient with the Government and want to change it. So stop giving such lollypops and empty promises at it will not serve the purpose.”
BSP supremo Mayawati supported the 'half-hearted' step of bringing the Bill in principle while AIADMK strongly opposed it, claiming that it was against the interest of Tamil Nadu.
Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O' Brien also opposed the Bill on the ground of attack on federal structure of the Government. But Congress leaders lauded the legislation as historic, except for Mani Shanker Aiyar who flayed it for ignoring Panchayati Raj institutions.
However, Food Minister KV Thomas tried to allay the apprehensions of the Opposition and denied the charge that States were not consulted.
The Bill was extensively debated by National Advisory Council led by UPA Chairperson, GoM, Rangarajan Committee, Parliamentary Standing Committee and even he had held meetings with Food Ministers of States four times and met all except two Chief Ministers to discuss the legislation, Thomas said.
Rejecting the demand for implementing model legislations like Chhattisgarh, Gujarat or Tamil Nadu had done, Thomas said that they could not be replicated throughout the country. He said that on representation received from 18 States including Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took the decision to protect the quantity and price at which the food grains outlay is being given to States.
Defending FCI he said that it was not only procuring food grains from farmers at MSP, but is also building storage capacity. To protect the rights of farmers 67 points have been added in the Bill, he added.
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