NAC meeting today; framework for draft food security bill on agenda

The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council will meet on Friday to discuss threadbare the framework of the draft food security bill and Planning Comm Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia will make a presentation at the meeting.

"Tomorrow's meeting will further discuss the framework of the draft food security bill. This will be the sole subject on the agenda", a source in the Council said.

The UPA government had announced last year that it would bring a National Food Security Act under which it promised to provide 25 kg of wheat and rice to families below poverty line (BPL) per month at Rs 3 per kg.

The previous meeting held on 30^th August could not finalise the draft bill, which would then be sent for the government's consideration.

In that meeting, Harsh Mander, convener of the Working Group on National Food Security Bill, made a presentation detailing the group's proposals.

"The NAC would discuss various components of the bill, including inclusive and enhanced Public Distribution System, child and maternal nutrition, special programmes for destitute and vulnerable groups, PDS reforms and enabling provisions," the source said.

The Council had also agreed to continue further consultations on the subject with various ministries including the Food Ministry, headed by Sharad Pawar.

An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGOM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had asked the Planning Commission to identify the number of BPL families to be covered under the proposed food security Act.

At present, the government provides subsidised foodgrains to 6.5 crore BPL families.

The government is likely to adopt the Tendulkar's committee report on poverty estimates, which would result in increase in number of BPL families to over eight crore.