Financial burden a challenge after passage of Food Bill: Sharad Pawar

MUMBAI:With the Union Cabinet likely to approve the Food Security Bill tomorrow, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said here the government will have to make additional investment provision for increasing production of foodgrains.

"The challenge before the government in the backdrop of the Food Security Bill is that we will now have to make additional investment provision to ensure that the production of foodgrains is increased," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) here today.

The Bill is expected to make a provision for providing not less than seven kg of foodgrains per person per month for the priority households and families will get rice at not less than Rs three a kg, wheat at Rs two per kg and coarse grains not less than Rs one per kg.

Moreover, not less than 75 per cent of rural households and at least 50 per cent of urban households will be entitled to foodgrains at subsidised prices, which will include priority and general households.

"At present, only 60 per cent of land is under cultivation. But the main issue faced by the farmers is erratic monsoon and in such a situation, we have to increase the production. So, we will have to make more investments to provide food for all," he said.

The proposed bill is likely to cost Rs 2 lakh crore annually to the government from the earlier estimate of Rs 1-1.5 lakh crore.

"The bill will be passed in parliament but the real challenge is how much financial burden the government will have to bear. We are discussing this issue and we will be able to arrive at a solution," added Pawar.