Govt. set to table Lokpal Bill, Food Security Bill today

The Congress led United progressive Alliance (UPA) government is set to table two extremely crucial bills - Lokpal Bill and National Food Security Bill (NFSB) in the lower house of Parliament today.

The other two associative bills - Whistleblowers Bill and Judicial Accountability Bill of Lokpal Bill will be tabled on 27 December in Lok Sabha to be discussing over it in the extended session along with Lokpal Bill.

The winter session has been extended two days from the current schedule till 29 December.

The much-awaited new version of Lokpal Bill will replace the previous version that was introduced in monsoon session. The opposition, political parties, Team Anna (a team of India against corruption moment), and general public were agitated with the previous version and appealed to make much stronger Lokpal Bill again.

The whistleblower team Anna has threatened the government to protest the powerless Lokpal Bill, if government tries to introduce it in the Parliament once again through holding fast (Anshan) and filling cells (Jail Bharo Andolan) scheduled to begin from 27 December 2011 at mass scale across the country.

The venue of the protest is not confirmed so far and the date can also be postponed, as government has extended the parliament session and protest will be done after viewing and studying the Lokpal Bill.

The government is set to introduce separately the Whistleblowers Bill and the Judiciary Accountability Bill as against Team Anna's demand.

The Lok Sabha will discuss the Whistleblowers Bill along with the Lokpal Bill, while the Upper House will discuss both the Bills separately.

Another equally important National Food Security Bill (NFSB) will also be introduced today in Lok Sabha that will allow the 63.5% population of India to access the subsidised food grains from government through Public Distribution System (PDS).

The Union Cabinet has approved the bill on Monday.

If NFSB is passed, as much as 75% of the people in rural India including at least 46% under priority households (which is same as below poverty line families in the existing public distribution system) and 50 % in urban areas including at least 28% under priority category will be benefited.

The NFSB will give the legal rights to the eligible persons to seek 7 kg of rice, wheat and coarse grains per person per month to priority households at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg, respectively and to at least 3 kg of grains per persons per months at below 50% of the minimum support price to the general family.

There is also a provision of granting hot, mid-day meals for children up to 14 years of age and Rs. 6,000 per annum for all pregnant and lactating women and it will be the legal rights of them.

The bill provides for cash reimbursement if the government fails to provide subsidised food grains because of natural calamities such as drought and floods.

The NFSB is the second largest major initiative of UPA government after implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) across the country.