Things that you need to know about the Food Security Bill

Bangalore, Aug 27: The much debated Food Security Bill (FSB) finally got the nod from Lok Sabha last night after a nine - hour debate and now claims to feed at least 67 percent of the population subsidised food. Here are a few FAQs that you need to know about the bill:

[See the Food Security Bill details]

1. The FSB was drafted by the Sonia Gandhi- led National Advisory Council in 2010, that aimed to subsidised food entitlement to 75 per cent of India's population.

2. A panel that was led by C Rangarajan recommended lowering entitlements and reforming PDS.
In September 2011, the Food Ministry circulated a draft for public comments.

3. Early July this year, the government brought an ordinance covering 67 per cent of the population.

4. 70 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban population will receive 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg respectively.

5. The Bill will not include pulses and oils as the country is short on their supply.

6. As the government will acquire more grains, this may have an impact on the farmers who might be dissuaded from growing cash crops.

7. The FSB will be different from PDS as the latter does not come under the legal tangles.

8. One advantage with FSB is that if you are denied any service, you can take the government to the court.

9. As of now, once implemented, people can make use of the bill through the existing ration shops. This could later be shifted to a modernised PDS with biometric ration cards.

10. The cost involving the FSB is said to raise from Rs 90,000 crore to Rs 130,000 crore.

11. As the rupee hit a record low today, FSB could affect the government's ability to mainain its fiscal deficit at 4.8 per cent.

12. Families that that fall under the 'eligible household' can make use of this bill. Eligible household means households covered under the priority households and the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme.

13. However, the families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme under PDS (Public Distribution System) would get entitlement to 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month.

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