Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday hailed the UPA Government’s decision to issue Ordinance on Food Security.
In a statement issued here, Bajwa said that Food Security Bill was a dream project of Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and it will ensure food to 67 per cent of the total population of India. He said that the step taken by the UPA Government was big leap in fight against poverty. He said that now it was the duty of the Opposition parties to support the Bill in Parliament.
Bajwa said that the Punjab Government had started Atta-Dal scheme for the below poverty line people but it proved only an election gimmick. He said that poor people who were not getting subsidised food in Punjab would be eligible for foodgrains at nominal price ie rice and wheat at Rs 3 and Rs 2 per kg and millers at Rs 1 per kg. He said that foodgrains would be supplied through Public Distribution System.
Bajwa demanded from SAD-BJP Government to conduct fresh survey of people living under below poverty line so that maximum people could take advantage of the food security. He said that the Centre Government would ensure that no food lying in the godowns go wasted and distributed to deserving people.