PM committed to the Right to Food Act

New Delhi, Feb 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Feb 10, said that India still faces a serious problem of malnutrition and that the government will sooner than later table the food security bill in the parliament to ensure everyone gets food.

In a meeting on food and health, the PM said, "We are committed to soon bring before parliament a Right to Food Act. Malnutrition remains a serious problem in India and many developing countries."

The Act is aimed at subsidising further grains to people living below the poverty line.

Although Ms Sonia Gandhi, the President of the ruling Congress party as well as the chairman of National Advisory Council, is pressing hard for a law to reduce prices of already subsidised grains for a large section of the population, economists have raised concerns over the proposal as it could double the food subsidy bill and widen fiscal deficit.

The Right to Food Act was a promise the Congress President made in the last elections and she it seems is determined to keep it.

India, continues with export curbs on grains despite having a large stockpile of key staples, a move economists attribute to the government's anticipation of a rise in domestic demand once the new food law is implemented.

OneIndia News