Food minister K.V. Thomas is likely to hold consultations with C. Rangarajan, head of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s economic advisory council, to reconcile its differences with the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) over the proposed National Food Security Bill.
An expert panel headed by Dr Rangarajan had expressed reservations about the NAC’s recommendations on the proposed bill terming them “not possible to implement.” Rejecting the suggestions of the expert panel, the NAC has instead come out with a detailed explanation of its proposals and is all set to proceed with the drafting of the bill after considering the public feedback on it’s framework note.
Mr Thomas has already heard the views of the NAC working group on food security in the matter. Sources said his meeting with Dr Rangarajan is being seen as a step towards reconciling the two viewpoints.
The differences between the NAC and the PM’s expert panel are mainly on procuring enough food grains to sustain the right to food law and the cost of implementing it.
According to the Rangarajan panel, the grain requirement to roll out the food security law would be 68.76 million tonnes against 56.35 mt available with the government and would cost the exchequer `85,584 crore. Against this, the NAC believes the food grains requirement to roll out the right to food law would be 57.4 MT and will go up to 64 MT when it is fully implemented. This includes both the public distribution system and the allocations for other welfare schemes, like mid-day meal and integrated child development services. Countering Rangarajan panel’s apprehensions, the NAC said increasing food procurement from the current 57.4 mt to 65 mt will not be difficult.