Food bill an attempt to divert attention from graft: TN CM

Chennai, July 5: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday lashed out at the Congress-led UPA government for taking the ordinance route for implementing the Food Security Bill. The AIADMK chief accused the Centre of taking a back-door route as it faced a strong opposition from various quarters.

The Tamil Nadu CM remarked that an ordinance is passed if the situation is extraordinary and she was unhappy to see that the Union Cabinet approved the ordinance for implementing a "useless, confused, misguided and mistake-ridden" bill, adding that the Centre's attempt to pass the ordinance looked to be a way to mislead people. She reiterated her earlier request to exempt her state from implementing such a bill.

Jayalalithaa said a number of state governments raised objection to the bill draft in its present form. She particularly spoke about the clause which looks to replace direct disbursement of foodgrain with direct subsidy transfers, saying it was an attempt to ruin the existing public distribution system (PDS).

She said the PDS is being implemented for everyone in her state and sought an exemption from the Food Security Bill for the latter offered far less cover than the state's PDS. She also stressed that both houses of the Parliament would have to approve the ordinance within six weeks.

The AIADMK chief said the Centre was making an hurried attempt to pass the food bill to divert attention from rampant corruption charges against it.

OneIndia News