Left wants universal PDS in food Bill

Top Left party leaders on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded that the Central government bring the National Food Security Bill in the Budget Session of Parliament with provision for a universal public distribution system.

The Prime Minister, sources said, told the Left leaders that the government has decided to make changes in the food Bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011. He is learnt to have told them that the amended Bill will cover 67 per cent of the population and do away with the APL and BPL categorisation.

Apart from demanding a food security law providing for a universal PDS, the Left leaders sought allocation of 35 kg foodgrain per household per month at not more than Rs 2 a kg. They also asked the Prime Minister not to introduce direct cash transfer in lieu of foodgrain. The PM, the sources said, assured them that the government was not thinking about introducing direct cash transfer.

"The Left parties have been conducting a campaign for the past one year for an effective food security law based on a universal public distribution system," the Left leaders said in a memorandum submitted to the PM.

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