The Food Security Bill is
likely to be pushed on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament as it is one of the big-ticket reforms the government will bank on for the general elections in 2014.
The Monsoon Session begins August 5.
The government is likely to list the bill, along with the Land Acquisition Bill, in the agenda of the business of the very first day of the session. "These are the two key policy measures we are trying to push," a source said.
The Food Security Bill, which
will provide right to subsidised food to 82 crore people, is seen as a game changer for the government in the Lok Sabha polls.
The bill proposes to provide 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse grains at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg, respectively, every month to three-fourths of rural population and half of the urban population in the country.
It pushed through
an ordinance early this month to implement the food security measure.
Even as several parties, including the Samajwadi Party that extends outside support to the government, oppose the measure, Finance Minister P Chidambaram earlier this week said he hoped the opposition would help ensure the bill's passage in the coming session of Parliament.
Rejecting the criticism that the
ordinance was brought in a hurry , Chidambaram had said: "There is no question of taking political mileage on the issue."
Meanwhile, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh is confident that all parties would support the Land Acquisition Bill. He has noted that the bill, which seeks to provide fair compensation to the farmers with adequate safeguards, has gone through "unprecedented all-party efforts".
With inputs from PTI
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