
New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Accusing the BJP-led central government of "killing the purpose and intent" of the National Food Security Act, 2013, the Congress Saturday said it was a "crude attempt to make a mockery of the crores of toiling poor of India by the BJP".
The Congress also criticised it for giving cash to the poor instead of subsidised food grains.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP government had become anti-farmer and anti-poor.
"The BJP government is preparing to kill the purpose and intent as also soul and spirit of the Food Security Act by reducing the number of eligible beneficiaries from 67 to 40 percent," he said.
The Congress leader held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for it saying that nobody could have done it without his permission.
"This recommendation (of reducing number of eligible beneficiaries) was made by a committee constituted to examine the Food Security Act by Modi," he said.
He criticised the government for making an "anti-farmer" amendment to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 by way of an ordinance.
"It exposes the anti-poor and farmer face of the ruling dispensation," Surjewala added.
The Congress leader also questioned the BJP whether its "intent and motive behind supporting the Food Security Act, 2013 in parliament was to subsequently kill its soul and spirit on formation of the BJP government".
He said that when the Shanta Kumar committee, set up to examine the Food Security Act and to reconstitute the Food Corporation of India (FDI), has proposed direct cash transfer of food subsidy even to the remaining 40 percent beneficiaries instead of providing food grains over the next three years, how the poor would buy food grains at the prevailing market prices with the small amount of subsidy.
The Congress leader also wondered that when all this was being done whether the government would also stop procuring wheat, paddy and other crops at the Minimum Support Price to maintain its existing well defined food stocks after the commencement of the direct cash transfer policy.
"It's all inter-linked, the government must explain to the nation what its plans were," he said.
After the martyrdom of 5 soldiers of Assam Rifles on November 13, the army has increased strictne
AAP won as it offered what people want: Pai
Bengaluru, Feb 10 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) landslide win in the Delhi assembly electi
Weather Updates Today: The havoc of heavy rain is being seen in Kerala since yesterday. An orange
Dasara Collection Day 2: South film industry's superstar Nani has always been winning the hearts
The Indian team kept going through a phase of experiments till just before the 2019 ODI World Cup
Swine flu toll in Telangana mounts to 56
Hyderabad, Feb 27 (IANS) Two more people died of swine flu in Telangana, taking the toll to 56 d
Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi is celebrating his 43rd birthday today. He made his Bollywood debut
Government not utilising Rs.2,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund, SC told
New Delhi, March (IANS) The Supreme Court was told Friday that the government was sitting on Rs
The post-mortem report of civil judge Jyotsna Rai's body in Badaun has confirmed death due to han
The owner of a house located near the Shiv-Hanuman temple in Sambhal removed a portion of his hou