Amid inconclusive discussion and subsidy concerns raised by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday deferred a decision on the National Food Security Bill. It, however, approved other major legislation — the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010, the Public Interest
Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill 2010 (also known as the Whistleblow-ers’ Bill) and the Citizens’ Charter and Grievance Redressal Bill 2011.
Sources said the Cabinet felt the government needed to hold more consultations with UPA alliance partners like the Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamul Congress and the National Conference before deciding on the Food Bill, which seeks to make subsidised foodgrains a legal entitlement for 75 per cent of people in rural areas and 50 per cent in urban areas.
It is learnt Mr Pawar raised the question of the subsidy bill on foodgrains, which is estimated to skyrocket from the current `63,000 crores to `95,0000 crores. Many state governments, including those of the Congress, had raised objections to the draft bill, particularly on the process to identify beneficiaries.
The Cabinet cleared the Judicial Accountability Bill, requiring judges to declare their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouse and children. A National Judicial Oversight Committee, Complaints Scrutiny Panel and an investigation committee are also proposed. This will enable any person to make a complaint against a judge to the oversight committee on grounds of misbehaviour. A motion for the removal of a judge can be moved in Parliament, which will then go to the oversight committee. There will be penalties for frivolous complaints. It also proposes to form a panel to incorporate a provision for in-camera proceedings of the committee which will scrutinise complaints against judges.
The Cabinet also cleared the Citizens’ Charter, which proposes a right to service — to ensure that every citizen will have the right to get time-bound delivery of public services, along with a mechanism for redressal of grievances. There is a proposal for a “grievance redress officer” to assist citizens in filing complaints.
The Cabinet approved the “Whistleblowers’ Bill”, which stipulates that if anybody reveals the identity of whistleblowers, he/she would be punished with three years’ jail or fine up to `50,000. The National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill 2011, to create a super medical authority, scrapping all other regulatory bodies, was also cleared.