Sonia launches food scheme in Delhi

Says it’s unparalleled in world

New Delhi (IANS): Even as the Food Security Bill was stalled in parliament, Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched her pet project in Delhi on Tuesday. The food security scheme in India was "unparalleled" in the world and aims to feed every poor person in the country, Sonia Gandhi said here while launching the ambitious food scheme. Delhi was the first state to clear the scheme.

"We have people who still don't get food and there are children who are malnourished. We decided to bring this scheme so that every poor gets food and no child sleeps without food," Gandhi said at Talkatora Stadium here. She gave away food security ration cards to beneficiaries along with a 5 kg packet of rice.

Under the scheme, a total of 73.5 lakh people will get food grain at highly subsidised rates. "The guarantee of food provided by food security scheme on such a large scale is unparalleled in the world," she said. The launch of the programme -- deemed a game-changer for the Congress ahead of general elections in 2014 -- coincides with the birth anniversary of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Gandhi, who is also the chairperson of UPA, praised Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for her efforts for implementing the scheme.

She also patted Dikshit for transforming the infrastructure in the national capital, saying Delhi is no longer the same as it used to be 15 years ago. The Bill, which has been the pet project of Sonia Gandhi who is also UPA Chairperson, is the biggest such scheme in the world with the government spending estimated at Rs 125,000 crore annually on supply of about 62 million tonnes of rice, wheat and coarse cereals to 67 per cent of population – around 82 crore beneficiaries.