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BJP cannot wait for the Food Security Bill
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Saturday, 02 October, 2010, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Moving ahead of Ayodhya, the BJP has advised the government to view food as a fundamental right and to come with a legislation in this regard at the earliest. The party described the Food Security Bill as a non-starter and has asked the government to take measures for revamping the public distribution system (PDS).
The party also said the government should take measures for revamping of the public distribution system. "Food security was one of the major agendas of the UPA government in 2009 but the Bill is yet to see the light of day," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu pointed out while addressing a summit on agriculture.
"In 2009, the Presidential address contains a promise about the food security as one of the 10 broad areas for her government. This year also, the President promised to ensure food security. However, this much-awaited legislation is yet to see the light of day," he said.
"Mere words will not suffice. You need to provide food security. We request the government from this forum to bring food security Act at the earliest. Provide adequate money (for the implementation of the Act) in the coming budget," he demanded.
Naidu said that food should be viewed as a basic fundamental right. "We have fundamental rights. Right to life is a fundamental right. But if there is no food what is the meaning of having life," he contended, saying that ensuring food security to people is the primary duty of the government.
He said that food security involves largely two factors. "One is availability and second accessibility. Merely availability alone will not suffice. There has to be accessibility also. Mere production will not suffice, there has to be proper distribution also."
On the issue of rotting of food grains, Naidu said there should be proper storage of food grains. "The Supreme Court was right in ordering the government in its judgement that food grains should be distributed among the poor instead of allowing them to rot," he added.
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