NEW DELHI: The government is considering calling a special session of parliament to pass a bill to provide subsidised food to millions of people, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said yesterday.
The Food Security Bill, approved by cabinet in 2011, would provide subsidised rice, wheat and millet to more than 700 million Indians.
Chidambaram said the government would meet members of the opposition shortly to see “whether they will cooperate in passing the bill in a special session of parliament”.
“If that support is forthcoming the bill will be passed in a special session of parliament based upon the response of the main opposition parties,” he told reporters in New Delhi after attending a cabinet meeting.
Opposition parties have attacked the Congress-led government for attempting to push the bill through without adequate discussion of its impact on farmers and consumers.
Government officials have said the measure would increase the annual subsidy bill by Rs1.1tn ($19bn).
Food prices have soared in India over the last seven years.
The bill will target 75 percent of the rural population and up to 50 percent of the urban population, providing a monthly supply of between three kilos and seven kilos of grain per household, depending on their economic situation.
AFP
