State Food Ministers Conference to Discuss National Food Security Bill February 13

                  

The Union Food Ministry has called a meeting of State Food Ministers on February 13 to have detailed consultations on National Food Security Bill before it is again placed in the Parliament. The National Food Security Bill, to provide a statutory framework for assured food security to all was introduced in Lok Sabha on 22nd December, 2011. It was referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on January 5, 2012 which has made certain recommendations regarding extent of coverage, entitlements, and strengthening of infrastructure for implementation of the Bill.


The daylong meeting is to be chaired by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Union Minister of Food, Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution System will be attended by Minister in charge of Public Distribution System from the states, senior officials of union Ministry of Agriculture, Planning Commission and other Central Ministries. It will discuss proposals made in the Bill and further action for finalization of the Bill in the light of recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee.


The proposed Food Security Bill marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of food security - from being viewed as a welfare approach to a right-based approach. It will be a comprehensive effort, adopting a lifecycle approach, in providing food and nutritional security to people, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups. It proposes to entitle about two third of the country's 1.2 billion population to subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), with special focus on nutritional support to women and children besides provisions for meals for special groups such as destitute and homeless, emergency and disaster affected persons and persons living in starvation. Pregnant and lactating women will also be entitled to receive maternity benefit of Rs. 1000 per month for six months. In case of non-supply of foodgrains or meals, the beneficiaries will be entitled to receive food security allowance.