Food scheme will be discussed in Parliament

NEW DELHI (Reuters, ht): On Sunday India’s cabinet will discuss approval for a draft law expanding a populist food scheme, after deferring a decision this week because of disagreement over the size of the subsidy plan, food minister KV Thomas said.

Farm minister Sharad Pawar said the central government was discussing the bill with individual states and the process could take another 8-10 days.

The new Food Security Bill would provide subsidized grain to 75 percent of people in the countryside and half the urban population is about 810 million, who cannot afford to eat properly.

Parliament’s current session is scheduled to end on Dec 22.