Food Security takes Ordinance route

• Cabinet clears Ordinance
• Rs 1.25 lakh crore scheme aims to cover 67 % of population
• It seeks to supply 5 kg food grain per person or 25 kg per family. Rice will be supplied at Rs3 a kg, wheat at Rs 2 a kg and coarse grain for Re 1
• Cong hopes it will be a game-changer
• Annual food subsidy will be up by 45 %

Anita Saluja New Delhi: The Government on Wednesday opted for the Ordinance route to bring into force the Food Security law. The Union Cabinet cleared the Ordinance, fearing that Opposition is determined to block the proceedings even in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament and that the government would be in no position to pass the Food Security Bill. With the promulgation of the Ordinance, Food Security becomes law, although the Ordinance has to be replaced by a regular Bill within six weeks of the next sitting of Parliament. The Rs 1.25 lakh crore scheme aims to cover 67 per cent of the population, including the rural and urban poor. It seeks to supply 5 kg food grain per person or 25 kg food grains per family. Rice will be supplied at Rs 3 a kg, wheat at Rs 2 a kg and coarse grain for Re 1. Billed as the game-changer in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the Congress hopes it will refurbish its scams-tainted image and help itself to regain power in the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, just as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) did it in 2009. As a result of this new measure, the annual food subsidy will be up by 45 per cent. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has championed the new rights-based approach even to food security cover, just as she did in the Right to Information, Right to Education and MGNREGA, all of which can now be legally enforced. The Food Security Bill was tabled in the Budget Session of Parliament but could not be taken up for consideration and passing, owing to disruptions in the House by Opposition BJP demanding the resignations of the tainted Ministers. Apprehensive that similar aggressive trend may persist even during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Government looked for an alternative way out. One proposal was to convene Special Session of Parliament where the Food Security Bill could be debated and passed. The other was to promulgate Ordinance, the route followed even with regard to new anti-rape laws. Earlier, the Union Cabinet had deferred a decision on promulgating Ordinance, deciding to make one last attempt to persuade the Opposition to agree for Special Session of Parliament. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh designated Home Minister and Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Sushil Kumar Shinde, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Food Minister K V Thomas to interact with the Opposition to build a political consensus. After the attempt failed, the Government decided to go ahead with the Ordinance route. The BJP claimed that while it was not against Special Session of Parliament, it wanted the Monsoon Session to be advanced, so that not only key Bill could be discussed and passed on floor of the House but even other issues could be raised. Even Allies of the Congress like the NCP and SP have raised discordant voices against the Food Security Bill. NCP supremo and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar wanted the Bill to be discussed and passed on floor of the House. Though Pawar was finally brought on board, the SP has expressed it opposition, dubbing it as "anti-farmer."