Oppn parties worried over Food Security Bill: Gaikhangam
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 28 2013:
With the implementation of "Food Security Ordinance" by the UPA Government for providing adequate supply of rice to the people at highly subsidized reduced rates, the opposition parties have started feeling tense and worried, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has stated.
Gaikhangam was speaking as Chief Guest of an awareness programme on "16 Point Flagship Programme and National Food Security Ordinance" organized by Sagolband Block Congress Committee at Sagolband Thingom Leikai community hall here today.
He further stated that among the various schemes taken up by the Central Government, the Flagship programmes have been able to reduce the problems of common people to a certain extent by ensuring them certain benefits.
The Food Security Bill which was brought up by the UPA government in the Parliament way back in 2009 has been objected by the opposition parties even today.
Nevertheless, considering the need of the people, UPA Government has approved the Bill as an ordinance and started implementing it in some of the States.
The government is still trying to make the Bill into an Act at the earliest, he added.
Since the Act is also to be implemented in Manipur, awareness programme on Food Security Ordinance has been taken up one after the other in different parts of the State under the instruction of the Central Government, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam explained.
While clarifying that the awareness programmes, thus, conducted in different parts of the State is not done to take advantage of the coming Lok Sabha elections, Gaikhangam further stated that it has been conducted to make the people understand the benefits of the different schemes taken up by the Central Government.
Mockingly appealing to the opposition parties not to get scared and confused over the issue of the Food Security Bill, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam stated that opposition MLAs should asked their respective National leaders and speak accordingly.
"The BJP is trying to gain votes by constructing Ram Mandir, while the Congress is trying to feed the poor by passing the National Food Security Bill", Gaikhangam charged and asked the public to judge for themselves which is better - 'to build Ram Mandir or 'to feed the hungry people of the nation' .
Former MLA of Sagolband A/C Dr Kh Loken; MPCC General Secretary, Bidyapati Senjam; President of Sagolband Block Congress, W Khelendro and other members of MPCC were also present during the programme as presidium members.