New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS)   The government  introduced in the Lok Sabha the food security bill 2013 to replace the relevant ordinance issued last month. Food Minister K.V. Thomas first withdrew the food security bill that had been introduced in the house in 2011 and then introduced the new measure, based on the ordinance which had been tabled for approval in the house Monday.

"The bill does not impinge on the rights of states. There is nothing against the federal structure. The bill aims at giving food as a matter of right," Thomas told the house. Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said border security was as important as food security and repeated her demand that Defence Minister A.K. Antony clarify his statement on the killing of five soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday. AIADMK member A. Thambidurai opposed the bill saying it was against the right of states. He also wanted the states to be consulted before the house took up the bill. The Tamil Nadu government is distributing grains. It will be affected by the bill," said Thambidurai.



The Business Advisory Committee of the lower house, which met Monday, had agreed to allocate six hours to the debate on the food security bill. The debate is expected either Thursday or next Monday.

The bill, expected to be a game-changer for the ruling Congress ahead of five assembly polls this year-end and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, aims to provide subsidised grains at prices much below the market rate to around 800 million people -- about 67 percent of India's 1.2 billion people.


Several Congress-ruled states, including poll-bound Delhi, Haryana and Assam, have said they would launch the subsidised grains scheme from Aug 20, the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The bill was first introduced in parliament in December 2011. It remained with the standing committee for a year before it was introduced in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing in the budget session that ended May 8.

Thomas said the government was already procuring average 60.2 million tonnes of grains in the past four years and would have no difficulty in managing the 61.2 million tonnes needed under the measure.